And Maura Makes Three
by rizzles-4-lyf
Summary: College AU. Jane and her baby boy have a chance encounter with a beautiful stranger who becomes a big part of both of their lives. Rizzles? Maybe ;)
1. First Sight

Maura stifles a giggle as she waves to the infant only a few feet in front of her, head bouncing slightly over his mother's shoulder. She's been pulling faces at him for the past ten minutes, rewarded with an opened mouthed stare revealing pink gums that dribble saliva trails on the already stained shirt beneath his head.

Jane's hand pats her sons back gently as they walk, one arm holding him to her chest and the other trying to manoeuvre the baby bag at her side as it slips from her shoulder. Oliver had already thrown up on her in the car, a trail of yellow tinted goo that had to be wiped with napkins stained her shirt Jane found herself annoyed for having ignored her Ma's advice to take an extra shirt to class.

"Please go back to sleep." She begs her little boy quietly in his ear, turning her neck to kiss the sweet spot on the back of his head.

This movement however does not agree with the rest of her body, her lapse in focus resulting in the contents of the baby bag spilling across the path. She curses under her breath, instinctually covering her son's ears as she does so.

"Here, let me help you." A voice breathes softly to her side, feeling the touch of a shoulder against her own as a woman crouches beside her.

Jane feels the tension in Oliver's little body, sensing an impending bout of wailing, rocking him on her knee as she tries to gather her things one handed whilst still holding his delicate neck carefully.

"Thanks." Jane mumbles, getting to her feet awkwardly as the blonde pushes a slew of diapers into the bag and stands with a smile.

Through the fly away strands on her forehead Jane can vaguely make out a slender hand offered in her direction, bag hanging from French tipped nails. She blows at the hair in her eyes, trying to work the bag back onto her shoulder as the blonde giggles.

"Hold on," the stranger laughs. "Is it okay if I hold him?" Jane hesitates for a moment, only now fully recognising the gurgle of tears in her ear, assessing the stranger in her mind before she makes the decision to hand over her son. Amazingly, he stops crying only moments later.

"I'm Maura."

"Jane." Jane pushes her hair back into the messiest ponytail yet, reaching for the bag slung over Maura's shoulder and cursing at its broken zip. Maura moves her body closer to Jane's, hardly recognising that the bag has moved from her shoulder, smiling at the baby who's eyes have begun to close in her arms.

"You're a natural." Jane teases. "Sure you haven't got one of your own?" Maura frowns for a minute before detecting the joke, returning her smile to the now slowly breathing baby.

"Definitely not," she giggles, handing Jane's son back carefully. "What's his name?" Maura asks as her eyes gaze over the beautiful little boys face.

"Oliver." the brunette smiles, unconsciously stroking his soft hair with her fingers as she spoke. Maura's smile widens at the intimate display between mother and child, watching Oliver's tiny nose brush against Jane's neck.

"He's very handsome." Maura whispers, reaching out a hand to smooth fingers across his back. Only once the movement is completed does it shock both women, blush rising on Maura's cheeks as she turns to walk away.

"Hey," Jane calls as softly as she can. "Wait up." Maura turns back on her heel as Jane half jogs towards her, clearly trying not to rouse the infant in her arms.

"Maybe you should walk with me." Jane suggests, smile bright and warm in Maura's direction. "You know, in case I need your help again." Maura's breath catches as Jane winks at her, mind working furiously to decipher its intent. The brunette looks at her oddly after a few moments, stifling a smirk with her free hand.

"One little walk with a virtually single mother isn't going to convert you, choir girl."

"Oh no, that's not what I..."

"Relax," Jane smiles, putting a hand on Maura's bare and freckled shoulder. "I was joking, I'm a joker. I joke." she clarifies. Maura chastises herself, of course Jane had been joking.

"I would love to walk with you." Maura smiles earnestly.

With Oliver thankfully asleep in the crook of her neck they walk in silence for a while, sun warming their skin, falling into step side by side. Jane glances at Maura a few times, catching the glinting sunlight bouncing from a silver floral clip in her hair. She's dressed sensibly, not at all like Jane, in a rather feminine white dress with lace just brushing her knees and buttons following the curve of her chest. It does little to hide the tattoo that Jane spots on her other shoulder.

Maura watches the brunette too; a stretched and faded led zepplin t-shirt hanging down the surprisingly lithe frame. If it weren't for the baby at her chest and the slight swell still visible around her hips and stomach, then you'd probably never notice the girl at her side had already carried a child; Maura thinks.

"So you leave him at the day care here?" Maura asks casually, eager to get to know the mystery girl.

"Uh, yeah. Ma said when I got knocked up that if I wanted to keep him that I gotta keep going to school." Maura glances at them again; Oliver can't be more than eight weeks old, making it awfully early in terms of Jane's return.

"So how long have you been back at BCU?"

"Actually, this is my first day back." Maura smiles gently, brushing a stray piece of hair from her cheek and shifting the Prada purse at her hip.

"If you need anything, I'd be happy to help you again. I mean, I know a few things about babies." She offers. "Oh gosh, I'm not saying you don't. I mean, I know you're his mother and-"

Maura's sentence cuts short as Jane throws her head back, sun warm against her cheeks, as she laughs with bared teeth.

"I know what you meant." Jane grins, eyebrows raised. "And thank you."

Maura blushes again, turning her face away as they approach the day care. The girls hover for a moment or two, Jane shifting on her feet as Oliver begins to wake again.

"I gotta get him inside."

"I – Yes, of course." Maura smiles.

They share a sympathetic look as the boy starts to wail, Jane cooing into his hair before the first tear makes it to her shirt.

"See you later." Jane calls, the promise already warm in Maura's chest.

Jane lingers at the day care for a little too long, staring through the windows until she can no longer see her son. For all the quiet alone time she's been wishing for over sleepless nights, it doesn't feel at all like she'd expected it to. She suddenly felt extremely anxious and alone.

"Just one class." She mumbles to herself. One class and then she can hold him again; just one class, then the stabbing pain of guilt she felt for leaving him will fade away.

Each step feels heavy as her feet hit the pavement, every unfamiliar sound making her want to rush back to him. Instead she pulls her hair free, brushing through its tangles as she walks, attempting to cover the spit up mark on her shoulder. Jane tries to distract herself, touching absentmindedly at the tattoo still red and raised across her heart under the fabric, she thinks about Maura and smiles.

People aren't often as sweet as the stranger who had left her less than an hour ago, most often they are judgemental. She hears them whisper as she struggles with Oliver in the supermarket, trying to wrangle both her wailing son and several items under her arm. She'd known it would be hard, despite being eighteen and already pregnant, she wasn't naive; she knew that she would be alone.

"Watch it!" A girl scolds as Jane collides with her chest.

"Sorry." She shakes her head back into focus, working her way through the busy corridors to her class.

The room is easy enough to find, situated at the end of a bleak looking hall on the second floor, _104 _glinting in metallic numbers on the door. It's already filled with more students than she'd expected, a few strays pushing past her and into their seats.

"Jane!" The brunette jumps before recognising the voice as Maura's and releasing a heavy breath. The blonde is sitting in the third row with a seat spare next to her, smile bright enough to assure Jane that she's wanted there.

Maura waves the towering brunette over as she takes her seat again, watching as the woman's denim clad legs work awkwardly around the desks.

"Hey." she smiles, sitting to Maura's right. Maura doesn't respond right away, instead tearing a slip of paper from her book and scribbling on it before pushing it in Jane's direction with a heartbreakingly sweet smile.

"My phone number." she clarifies. "I realised that I didn't give it to you earlier after saying that if you needed help to come find me."

Jane smiles and tucks the paper into her backpack. When she leans on her elbows and shifts her gaze back to the blonde she begins to notice all the finer details that hadn't been quite so visible earlier. As choir girl as Maura looked from the left, she looks much more delicate badass on the right. The pastel pink dip dye she's got going on definitely doesn't help the delicate idea, nor do the lilac and lavender roses spreading from the white dress strap covered shoulder, but Jane notices another tattoo. Craning her head to peer at Maura's forearm she notices a short space of writing.

"It's Latin." Maura smiles, biting her lip at Jane's apparent curiosity. "Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae."

Jane raises an eyebrow at the superb fluency Maura exhibits despite the absolute gibberish that Jane sees.

"This is the place where death rejoices to teach those who live." Jane whistles in an amazed sort of way, a blush rising on Maura's cheeks at the indirect compliment.

"I expected it to be some kind of carpe diem kind of thing, you know, what most girls would get." Jane admits sheepishly. "But I guess you're clearly not like most girls." Maura is about to protest before realising that the brunette meant it more as a compliment than the insult she is so used to it being.

"There's a lot that the living can learn from death, the passage on my arm is chosen from an inscription that graces the walls of most morgues."

"Cheery." Jane jokes.

"I'm studying to be a pathologist. I'd like to perform autopsies." Jane's face goes a little pale after that, swallowing roughly before the colour returns to her cheeks.

"Don't tell me you've always wanted to dissect dead people." She laughs playfully, Maura's brow furrows a little as she frowns.

"Okay, I won't." Jane recognises almost immediately the girl beside her is serious and has in fact _always _wanted to dissect dead people. Each to their own; she thinks.

"You'll be a regular queen of the dead." Jane winks, easing the tension in Maura's chest. Unexpectedly the blonde laughs, her hand reaching out to touch Jane's with a light squeeze before returning to her lap. Maura wasn't sure where her sudden bravery had come from, but she knew she felt safe with Jane.

"So," Maura breathes, twirling a pastel lock between her thumb and forefinger in a practiced manner. "What's the story behind your lion?" Jane shifts her gaze to the tattoo that rests high on her bicep, touching it lightly with her chewed fingernails.

"I was seventeen and it was just before I found out I was pregnant, Casey, Oli's dad, and I were about to be separated and so we went and got tatts to make the distance easier. The usual young, dumb, and in love story." Jane laughs. "I also wanted something big enough to cover a scar." she admits lightly.

Maura's mouth opens to question further, studying the ink until she spots the slightly raised scar tissue beneath, before being interrupted by the lecturer's arrival.

Jane is too anxious to focus, she's never been an advocate for classroom learning but today is harder than usual, she can't stop thinking about Oliver. It's not the first time she's been without him before, but never this long and never with anyone but her mother. She can feel the worry prickling in her gut, feelings she never thought she would experience before seeing him in her arms for the first time two months ago.

Maura isn't learning anything new so far but takes notes diligently despite the distracting woman at her side. Jane's fingers have been clenched tightly around a pen the whole lesson and Maura is unbelievably surprised that it hasn't simply splintered in the brunette's grip. Its light tap is consistent against the wooden desk, approximately seven beats a second she would guess, and Jane's anxiety just seems to be getting worse.

"Hey," she whispers, reaching to cover Jane's hand with her own. "Take a deep breath. I'm sure Oliver is fine." Maura assures the brunette beside her gently.

She feels Jane's muscles relax under her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as she slides her thumb across the back of the girls trembling knuckles. Maura catches Jane's slightly bleary eyes with her own and smiles sympathetically. Her hand stays with Jane's.

Jane isn't used to being touched so gently, especially not from someone who's virtually a stranger, especially from anyone but her mother. She had expected the sweetness to make her tense but instead she welcomes it as her heartbeat slows. The prickling feeling in her gut all but fades away as her mind clears. She winds her thumb around the slender pale hand atop her own. _Thank you_.


	2. Baby Blues

Jane's knees were weak the whole way back to Oliver, refusing to cooperate with her desire to get to him as swiftly as possible. Sweet relief filled her lungs the instant he was in her arms, safe and sound and decidedly content judging from the look on his face.

"I love you." she whispers reverently into his wispy hair.

The hair is soft against her palm as she holds him to her cheek. His face is warm and rosy, saliva slipping from his bottom lip as his little fingers pat at Jane's shoulders. Unlike the brunette he seems to have experienced none of Jane's distress at their separation, and if he did then Jane decides that she's better off not knowing.

For the second time that day Jane finds herself manoeuvring the, albeit slightly lighter, baby bag and her son against her hip as she travels the path leading outside the school area. The combination of sunshine and crisp air coupled with virtual freedom makes her chest lighter. She likes to be alone with Oliver, prefers it even; no one to criticise over her shoulder and nothing but him to truly consume her thoughts. That is, until she catches sight of a now familiar choir girl.

Jane considers passing through, a half nagging feeling that Oliver will want to be fed soon and all the bottles in her bag are empty, but dismisses it as she walks towards the girl crouched over her book and salad.

She sits across from Maura on the grass without announcement, balancing the gurgling baby on her knee as she drops both bags to the ground. Maura is slower to leave her reverie, each movement calculated and precise before sending a slow smile in Oliver's direction.

"I forgot to thank you for helping me earlier." Jane sighs, watching Maura's fingers reach for her son's delicate, olive toned hand.

"You don't need to thank me." Maura grins as Oliver's tiny hand makes a fist around her pinkie, the blonde clearly delighted despite the dribble making its way to her other fingers. Honestly Jane is more than a little surprised at how cool he is with her, having experienced several 'meltdown' wails whenever Tommy or Frankie get anywhere near him.

"He looks very healthy," Maura comments as the infant dribbles along her knuckles. "Normal eye movement and clear response to sounds. Have you taken him for his first immunisations yet?"

Jane stifles a laugh in her shoulder. Maura isn't exactly one for casual baby talk; she's straight to the point.

"Honestly," Jane sighs, slightly embarrassed. "I'm a little terrified." Maura raises a quizzical eyebrow in the brunette's direction. "Don't worry; I'm all for vaccinating the little guy. I'm just, you know, worried it will hurt him."

Despite Jane's mumbling at the end of her confession Maura still catches it and smiles, taken back by how strong Jane's love for her little boy seemed to be.

"It only takes a second." she assures. "He'll forget about it quicker if you do. Infants usually pick up anxiety from their parents, so if you stay calm then so will he. You should take someone with you who can remind you of that." Maura pulls her hand away from the gurgling babe in Jane's lap, wiping at her fingers with a tissue from her purse.

"Sorry about the slime." Jane chuckles, wiping her own hand against her jeans. "He's definitely more of a drooler than I'd ever anticipated." Both of the girls laugh as Oliver seems to agree, beating his little hands against Jane's thigh happily.

"He's wonderful." Maura smiles honestly, her eyes struggling to focus on anything other than the little boy's sweet face in front of her.

Jane smiles back, she knows that Maura's words are genuine. Despite being horribly biased, Jane also thinks her son is completely wonderful. He's the best thing that ever came out of her and Casey.

Oliver must sense the twitch in her gut at the thought of his father, his little smile fading from one of happiness to pure confusion. Maura's right about the whole emotion thing, any thought about Casey usually makes Oli cry; sometimes Jane too.

"Shhh..." Jane coos in his ear as comfortingly as she can, laying gentle kisses at his temple. "Mama's here."

The brunette doesn't take a second thought about setting the distressed boy in her lap, removing the faded tee from her body. She's more thankful than ever for having remembered to wear a tank top underneath. Oliver quiets reluctantly as Jane slides both straps down her shoulder and hurriedly uses him to cover her now exposed breast. His cries dissipate to gurgles and finally just heavy breathing as his tiny mouth covers her nipple, a feeling Jane swears she will never grow accustomed to.

Maura watches the display quietly, in awe at Jane's quick reaction. It isn't until Oliver is feeding happily that Jane seems to remember her exposure, knees coming to help cover her chest as both arms support the suckling child. When she meets Maura's hazel gaze she blushes, it's not the first time that she's fed her son publicly, but it's definitely the most open place she has done so.

"You're very brave." Jane shrugs in response, looking to Oliver nestled in the crook of her elbow; she doesn't think it's very brave.

"It shouldn't have to be considered brave to feed your child naturally in public, but I guess some people have a twisted sense of priority when it comes to what breasts are for." Maura laughs.

"I'm beginning to realise as much." Jane jokes, feeling the gaze of those around them begin to shift away.

"You didn't mention you had another tattoo." the blonde remarks curiously after a moment of comfortable silence.

"You didn't ask." Jane shrugged. Maura is suddenly closer again, face almost as close to her breast as Oliver is, fingers reaching out to feel the raised ink on her skin.

"It's precious." Maura whispers, tracing the tips of each ink finger with her own. Jane swallows roughly and clears her throat, releasing a breath as Maura pulls back.

"I – uh – I only got it about three days ago." Jane admits, tongue flicking across cracked lips. "I knew I didn't ever want to be without him again." The brunette felt her brow crease as she wondered why she wanted the stranger so much closer.

"It's the most meaningful tattoo I've ever seen, Jane, and when he's older I think he'll appreciate it very much."

"Alright, you don't have to get sappy about it." Jane jokes, alleviating the weight of emotion in her chest. "Anyway, now that little guy's had a feed, I better get him home."

Jane rearranges her shirts and bags, passing the sleeping child to Maura for a few slow moments of goodbye. When the brunette stands reluctantly Maura does so too, both girls hovering across from one another for a minute or so as they each wonder if it was too soon for hugging before Jane blushes and turns her gaze to the car park.

"See you soon, choir girl." Maura grins at her new nickname as the brunette walks away, unable to stop the smile even after she loses sight of her two new favourite people.

**xxxxx**

"Hello?" Maura answers her phone groggily, her voice husky as she lets her eyes drift closed. The sound of a crying baby on the other end of the line had her sitting up and reaching for the light in mere seconds. "Jane?"

"I'm so sorry for calling you so late." Maura frowned into the now dimly lit room, turning to check the time on her alarm clock. The bright green numbers reflected back at her indicating that it was quarter past two in the morning.

"Is everything okay?" Maura knew that Jane wouldn't have been calling a perfect stranger in the middle of the night had something not been wrong.

"I… I don't know." The brunette's voice began to shake as she placed the back of her hand over her son's sweaty forehead.

"Okay, tell me what's happened." Maura instructs as she places the phone on speaker. She climbs out of bed and is pulling on a pair of jeans and a sweater before she even realises she's doing it.

"He just won't stop crying. He's so hot and nothing I do… I can't…" Jane's words caught in her throat as her son began wailing again, tears falling from his face onto her bare chest as she tried everything she could to calm him.

"Okay, remember what I told you earlier? If you stay calm, he'll sense that." Jane nods into her small dorm room, closing her eyes and taking two deep breaths until the tears that were burning her eyes faded away.

"What should I do?" It hadn't escaped Jane that she was literally asking a girl she met yesterday how to treat her baby's fever, but it was the best she could do on such short notice. She knew Maura wouldn't turn her away.

"Have a cold shower with him, that'll bring his fever down. I'm on my way." Maura responded as she placed the phone between her shoulder and ear, grabbing her car keys and making a quiet escape from her parents' home.

"You don't have to do that." Jane whispered, biting down on the inside of her lip. The mere notion of not having to deal with her sick baby alone made her whole body relax.

"'I'm already in my car. What dorm block are you in? I'll be there in fifteen."

When Maura eventually arrived at Jane's door, the sound of Oliver's crying echoed in her ears. A small pout instinctively made its way onto her face as she gently tapped on the door, not wanting to scare either of the occupants of the room.

"Come in." Jane calls, sniffling as she tries to wipe the few tears that had managed to escape her eyes away before Maura entered.

"Are you okay?" Maura asks straight away, walking over to the bed where Jane lay with a crying Oliver on her chest, his forehead resting against his mother's heart. Jane forces a brave smile, nodding as Maura closes the bedroom door.

"I'm sorry I called you I just didn't know what else to do." Maura smiles understandingly as she makes her way to their side, crouching so she could easily place a hand on the boys cheek.

"Do you mind if I have a go?" Maura asks, noticing the redness in her new friend's eyes. She so desperately wanted to help both of them get some sleep. Jane didn't hesitate to sit up and offer her son to Maura.

"Will you be okay with him if I go to the bathroom?" Maura nods without a second of hesitation, placing the little boy down on the mattress before her so she can pull her shirt off. She lifts the crying little boy back up into her arms, her hand supporting his neck as she places him against her bare skin.

She begins pacing the room, pressing light kisses to the little boy's warm forehead as she quietly hums a lullaby her father used to sing to her when she was unwell. Maura slowly lowers the boy so he's lying down in her arms before she picks up the baby's security blanket, placing it over his eyes.

In a matter of minutes, the crying that had filled the room all night stopped. Jane emerged from the bathroom hesitantly, her eyes focused on her baby who was seemingly fast asleep in Maura's arms.

"How?!" Jane exclaimed quietly, placing both of her hands on her face in wonder.

"When I'm sick I need to have my eyes covered and a quiet tune in my ears. I tried that and it worked." Maura replied with wide eyes, completely amazed that her actions had calmed the boy so quickly.

"You are never leaving us." Jane jokes, poking Maura in the arm playfully as she sniffles once more.

"Deal." Maura whispers inaudibly as she looks down at the small hand that had grasped onto her bra.

**xxxxx**

When Jane awoke the next morning, the first thing she noticed was that she wasn't woken by the sound of her son's cries. The mere thought was enough to make the dark haired girl shoot up, her tired eyes resting on an empty bassinet beside her.

"Hi." Maura whispered from the end of the bed, Oliver happily gurgling from the mattress between her outstretched legs. A small frown made its way onto Jane's face as she tried to understand exactly what was happening.

"Did you stay_ all_ night?" Jane asked, her husky voice coming across far harsher than she had intended. Maura nodded with a sweet smile, Oli's fingers pulling her pinkie finger into his mouth lazily.

"I couldn't find a pacifier so he's been eating my fingers." Maura giggled as the little boy nibbled on her finger. Jane couldn't help but smile down at her son as she crawled to join the two at the end of the bed.

"He seems… happy." Maura nodded in agreement at Jane's statement.

"I have the magic touch." Maura joked, raising her eyebrows as she offered Jane a smug smile. Jane rolled her eyes as she chuckled, the realisation that it was Saturday sinking in.

"I have so much study to do." She complains, rolling onto her back as her brain went over all the things she had to do today. None of it was particularly taxing or time consuming, but when you throw an eight week old into the mix, it became slightly more complicated.

"I can stay and watch him if you'd like." Maura suggested without a second thought, beaming down at the child in front of her as he smiled up at her.

"Maura you were here all night I can't ask you…"

"You're not asking, I'm offering." The blonde interrupted, honestly not ready to say goodbye to the little boy who had completely encaptured her heart.

"Do you want some coffee?" Jane offered as she crawled out of the bed, not knowing what she could possibly offer the blonde in return for her babysitting. Maura shook her head, the same polite smile on her face as she looked back down at the baby before her.

"He looks so much like you." Maura commented, looking up at Jane as she spoke. The dark haired girl couldn't deny the shot of pride that pulsed through her anytime someone mentioned how alike she and her son looked.

"All I see when I look at him is his daddy. He has Casey's eyes." Jane responds quietly, a small smile playing on her lips as she fondly remembered her past loves light eyes.

"What happened with you two?" Maura asked curiously, lifting Oliver off the mattress and into her lap. The smile on Jane's face immediately dissipated as she realised she was going to have to explain she and Casey for the first time. She was yet to have to explain her circumstances to anyone.

"It turns out when they say it only takes one night of unprotected sex to get pregnant, they aren't kidding." Jane chuckled nervously as she pours herself her first coffee of the morning.

"Was it your actual first time?" Maura asked, not seeming to catch just how personal her question was. The brunette sat back down on the bed and leant down to press her lips lightly to her sons head.

"First and last." Jane smirked as she rested her head against the brick wall of her dorm room, her eyes on Maura's face as she awaited her new friend's next curious question.

"So he just… left you guys?" Maura asks with a small frown as Oliver takes both of her thumbs in each of his small hands innocently.

"It's complicated." Jane admits with a gentle sigh, wondering just how much of her messed up life she was supposed to share with the perfect stranger who was holding her little boy. "He's from a military background; it was always his biggest dream to join the armed forces."

"So he's overseas at the moment?" Maura clarified, instantly feeling terrible for thinking such horrible things about her friend's baby's other parent.

"I don't know." Jane chuckled awkwardly; embarrassed to admit she honestly hadn't the slightest clue where her child's father was. It was strange how completely at ease both Oliver and Jane found themselves when they were in the blondes presence, Jane found herself thinking. "What about you, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Me?" Maura giggled in response, placing one of her hands on the side of her face as she turned to face her new friend. "I don't have a _boy_friend, no." Jane felt her eyebrows raise as she instantly caught onto Maura's focus on the term boyfriend.

"I'm so sorry." Jane responded as she closed her eyes, shaking her head as she wondered why it hadn't occurred to her that perhaps Maura played on the other team.

"I'm single." Maura confirmed with an accepting smile as Oliver began to whine from his place before her. "Tell me more about you." Maura suggested as Jane moved to lie on her stomach so her son had a clear view of her.

"I have two younger brothers, I've always wanted to be a cop but when Oli came along I decided to go to college instead. I'll pursue it when he's a little bit older." Jane replied as she directed an affectionate smile across at her little boy, constantly amazing herself by how strong her love for the young boy was.

"That is awfully responsible of you." Jane chuckles at Maura's response, her nose creasing as she realised just how true her friend's words were. Jane Rizzoli; responsible. Who would have ever thought?

"Did you grow up in Boston?" Jane asked casually, Maura's lips pursing before she replied.

"Boston, Paris, Serbia, and Italy." Maura nodded, rolling her eyes with every city she added to the list. Jane felt a small frown make its way onto her face as she noted just how boring her life must sound to the beautiful blonde.

"Do you still live with your parents?" Maura felt herself internally flinch at the mention of her parents.

"Technically. They're never in town though." Maura felt herself force a smile as her brain raced to think of a way to change the topic. Thankfully, Oliver's cries silenced any further questions.

"Hungry?" Jane asked her son with a pout as she sat up and picked the infant up, lifting her shirt up over her breast before placing him onto her skin. "He's growing too quickly." Jane complained as she stared down at the little boy, noticing his clothes clinging to his skin.

"Oh you _have_ to let me take you baby clothes shopping." Maura said excitedly, clasping her hands in front of her in a begging motion, causing a quiet chuckle to escape her mouth.

"I'll study tomorrow." Jane promised herself, knowing there was no way she was going to be able to deny a shopping date with her new friend.


	3. Whole Again

It took all but one month for the two young college women to become the centre of each other's universes. Maura had found herself spending more and more nights in Jane's cramped dorm room, and Jane had found that she was planning her study sessions around the time she knew Maura would be over.

"Are you confident enough with him yet to give him a bath?" Jane asked as she stretched her back, rolling her neck as she tore her eyes away from the course work she had been working on for the past hour.

"Are you sure?" Maura asked with a slightly worried expression on her face as she looked across at the still small baby boy who was happily gurgling away in his rocker. A sweet smile played on the corners of Jane's lips as she nodded, having complete faith in her best friend.

"It's really easy when he's this small. You just keep him in the baby seat in the bath and wash him. I promise you'll be okay." Jane chuckled as she lifted her son into her arms. If Maura was going to continue spending as much time with Oliver as she had been, Jane thought it was time she learnt how to really take care of him.

"He won't like… break, right?" Maura asked with a frown as she lifted her sweater off of her body, leaving her in just a tank top and denim shorts.

"You did not just ask me that." Jane laughed again as she rolled her eyes, handing her son to her friend before she ran the bath for them. "You can get in there with him if you'd like…" Jane suggested with raised eyebrows.

"Like, naked?" Maura asked with wide eyes, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious as she shifted the baby boy into her right arm. Jane shrugged casually, realising what she had suggested was probably far too intimate for both her son and her friend.

"Its how I bathe him sometimes, it's just easier." Maura nodded as she pondered her choice, eventually settling on keeping her clothing on.

"If you need help, just give me a call." Jane suggested before pressing a kiss to her baby's head. Before Maura knew it, she was totally alone staring at the bathtub filled to where she imagined Oliver's chest would be with water before her.

"I need you to help me out and be really good, okay?" Maura begged the boy in her arms who flashed her a gummy smile in return. The blonde placed the little boy down on the change table in the bathroom so she could remove his onesie and nappy.

She placed the baby in his little seat in the bathtub before she got down on her knees next to him, grabbing a wash cloth and soaking it in the warm water.

"Does that feel nice?" She asked Oliver in the calmest voice she could as the little boy reached his hands out for the cloth she held. Maura couldn't help but smile at the plethora of baby products she found in Jane's bathtub. She could barely afford new clothes for herself but Oliver had all of the most expensive, sensitive brands of skin care products.

Maura squirted a small amount of the baby shampoo and conditioner she found closest to her into her hands and carefully rubbed it into the small amount of hair Oliver had. The fragrance that filled her nose reminded her of the stuff she used to use to bath her sister.

"How are we going?" Jane asked quietly as she entered the bathroom after only leaving them alone for five minutes. She craved both of their presence too much to focus on the study she promised herself she'd complete today.

"I'm the best aunt ever." Maura said proudly as she smirked up at her best friend who took a seat beside her on the closed toilet seat. "Do you guys have plans tonight?"

"Is that a trick question?" Jane asked with a chuckle.

"Do you mind if I cook you both dinner at my place?" Maura asked, turning to hesitantly look at her new best friend.

"Will your parents be there?" A small smile played on Maura's lips now; she should have known all Jane would need is to know it would just be Maura.

"No, we'd all be alone. You could sleep in a comfortable bed."

"I'd actually really love that Maura, thank you." Jane laughed quietly, the mere thought of getting out of the small room she and her son shared giving her a glimmer of happiness.

"And we're all done!" Maura exclaimed happily as she clapped her hands in Oliver's direction, earning a loud squeal of approval from the little boy.

**xxxx**

"Shut up, this is not where you live." Jane said in disbelief as Maura drove her brand new white Jeep Wrangler up the steep driveway to her parent's multimillion dollar home.

"There is a reason I haven't invited you here until now." Maura said through a forced smile. Jane turned to look at her friend with raised eyebrows, encouraging her to continue. "When people know about the fancy houses and multiple cars, they treat me differently." Maura shrugged, her stomach twisting as she recalled endless friendships that were all based on money.

"You invited us here though." Jane pointed out as she reached out to place a comforting hand on Maura's thigh. The mere touch of her best friend shook every inch of sadness from Maura's mind.

"That's because you're my two favourite people in the whole world." Maura responded in complete honesty as she pulled up by the front door, having no intention of making Jane carry Oliver all the way from the garage to the house.

"You grab Oli and I'll grab the crib." Jane instructed as she hopped out of the car, making her way to the back of the Jeep as though she'd done it a million times before.

"Hi little man." Maura cooed as she lifted the car seat Oliver was securely fastened into out of the car. The blonde girl grabbed the baby bag and slipped it over her shoulder with practiced precision, making her way to unlock the front door with Jane hot on her heels.

"Do you want a beer?" Maura offered as they made their way into the kitchen, the shorter girl instinctively placing the baby in his carrier on the counter.

"Is there a room I can use to express first?" Jane asked, her eyes glancing around them at the many doors that lead to unknown rooms.

"You don't have to hide from me." Maura reminded her with a sweet smile as she pulled two bottles of beer out of the large metallic refrigerator. Jane pursed her lips as she looked down at the floor, a familiar feeling of nervousness flooding her insides.

"Can we go sit down for a minute?" Jane asked sweetly as she lifted her little boy out of the car seat, placing two light kisses to the boys cheeks before resting him comfortably on her chest. Maura nodded before leading her best friend into the living room, switching on only one of the lamps in hopes it would keep Oliver asleep.

"He loves you so much." Maura pointed out as she watched Jane carefully place the little boy down on the ridiculously large sofa. Without a second thought Jane pulled a dressing gown out from the baby bag and lifted her shirt over her head. Maura's eyes darted to the floor as she swallowed the unexpected lump that formed in her throat.

"I'll just feed him before I have a drink." Jane whispered as she unclasped her bra, Maura's eyes no longer on the floor as she admired the curve of Jane's toned back. Before she knew it, Jane had pulled the dressing gown on and had turned to lie beside her son. "Were you just checking me out?" She asked her friend with a smirk.

"What? No." Maura replied too quickly, causing a quietly chuckle to escape Jane's throat. Jane opened one side of the dressing gown and guided her sons mouth to her nipple, sighing contently when he easily latched on.

Maura watched in total amazement, wondering if she too would one day fall into these seemingly natural habits with her own child.

"Do you mind if I…" Maura started as she pulled her cell phone from her back pocket. Jane shook her head, indicating she was perfectly okay with her best friend capturing the sweet moment between her and her son.

Maura again swallowed an unexpected lump in her throat as she snapped the photograph, part of her knowing it would give her comfort on lonely nights. These two had fast become her whole world, and nothing made the blonde happier.

"While we're sort of having a moment, can I ask you something?" Jane asked nervously, gently stroking her son's small amount of hair as Maura sat down cross legged across from her.

"You can ask me anything you please." Maura encouraged with a warm smile.

"Why are you friends with me?" Maura's brow furrowed as she worked her way through the sentence, trying to find the hidden meaning behind the simple words. "People don't relate to me."

"I'm not following." Maura giggled apologetically, not sure where the conversation was headed.

"The whole single young mother thing drove everyone I've ever cared about away from me, yet you completely accept and embrace Oliver. Why?" Jane asked, her voice thick with emotion when she spoke.

"You're clearly a mother," Maura started, looking at the little boy happily enjoying his dinner. "But Jane that is just one, small part of you. I stick around because you make me laugh and are constantly surprising me." Jane nodded as her friend spoke, annoyed that she was having such a weak moment.

"And you love Oli." Jane smiled, both of the girl's eyes resting on the boy.

"I love you both." Maura corrected her, stretching her body forward so she could kiss her friends forehead gently, her lips lingering against the olive toned skin two seconds longer than necessary.

"Is it okay for me to just put him down in your room?" Jane asked after clearing her throat, the intimate lighting in the room coupled with Maura's lips against her skin making her feel unlike ever before. Maura nodded slowly, giving her directions to her bedroom before the brunette disappeared up the stairs.

"Did he go down okay?" Maura asked as her friend made her way down the flight of stairs twenty minutes later, baby monitor in her hand. Jane hovered by the bottom of the staircase, frowning down at the monitor that showed her baby fast asleep. "He'll be fine." Maura reminded her friend gently, linking their arms together so she could lead the brunette back into the living room.

"How did you do this to your hair?" Jane asked as they sat side by side on the sofa. Jane instinctively reached out and ran her hands through the pink ends of her friend's hair, completely amazed.

"My ex did it for me." Maura shrugged as she lifted her beer bottle off the coffee table.

"Your ex huh?" Jane asked with a small smirk.

"What?" Maura giggled as she took a long sip of her drink.

"What was her name?" Maura rolled her eyes at Jane's question. She knew it was her turn to answer personal questions.

"Daisy."

"Her name was_ not _Daisy." Jane laughed, covering her mouth when the sound echoed through the loud empty house. Maura stifled a giggle as she nodded to confirm that she wasn't lying. "How long were you together?" Jane probed, crossing her legs underneath her body before placing the baby monitor on the coffee table before them.

"Almost a year." Maura responded truthfully, taking another sip of her beer as Jane's shifted to get more comfortable, choosing to let her legs stretch out over Maura's lap.

"Are you seeing anyone at all at the moment?" Jane asked, something inside her knowing the answer was going to be no.

"No one serious." Jane just nodded in response, not quite sure if she really wanted to know the ins and outs of her best friends dating life; especially knowing that she wouldn't be having any sort of relationship for a long time.

"Playing the field, hey?" Jane jokes after a prolonged silence.

"Was that a pun?"

"Non intentional." The brunette assures.

Jane reaches towards the table and takes her own beer, downing a generous mouthful of the amber liquid. When her eyes flick back to Maura, the honey blonde is stroking a hand up her shin, a plump lip caught between her teeth.

"So why did it end?" When Maura ceases the movement of her hand Jane begins to think she's struck a nerve, parting her lips to assure that an answer isn't really necessary.

"She was sleeping with someone else, multiple others actually. I guess you could say that after I found out we broke up due to irreconcilable differences." Jane swallows another mouthful of beer roughly, intending to apologise before Maura begins speaking again.

"I still don't understand why she did it, why she had to sneak around behind my back I mean; we always had a healthy and open sex life." the blonde sighs. "I guess she wasn't satisfied with sleeping with me and the occasional other woman joining us."

"Her loss." Jane croaks. When Maura turns to her, her eyes are soft and her smile is gentler too, she runs her hand all the way up to Jane's knee and squeezes.

"Thank you." she says earnestly. "I needed to hear that." Jane surprises herself by catching the hand in her own and squeezing back.

"Have you considered dying it a different colour?" Maura pulls away and considers for a few moments, tapping a manicured fingernail against her lip.

"What would you suggest?"

"Something extreme, like shock your parent's extreme." Jane emphasises her words, winking at the laugh Maura exhibits. "All your hair, not just the tips."

"Are you crazy?" Maura giggles, swatting at her friends leg. "My mother already doesn't approve of the dye I have let alone anything extreme."

"That's why you should do it." Jane says pointedly, downing the last of her beer. "Fuck em, that's what you're supposed to say now. Fuck Daisy and fuck the girls she chose instead of you." Maura grins widely and raises her almost empty beer to Jane's, their bottles clink in agreement.

"Alright," Maura finally agrees. "What colour do you think then?" Jane bites her tongue as she reaches for Maura's hair again, curling it softly around her fingers as she considers.

"Something dark." she suggests. "Something badass." Maura snorts into her palm as Jane continues to play with her hair.

"I thought I already was a badass."

"You're a delicate badass, there's a difference. Although nothing wrong with either." she adds hastily. "For what it's worth I think you should go a shade of purple, violet maybe? We could even get you pierced!" Jane says excitedly.

"I already have a piercing." Maura smiles.

"You ears don't count, Maur."

"I wasn't talking about my ears, Jane." Jane swallows roughly, unconsciously dragging her eyes up and down her friend's body despite the clothing barrier. Maura allows the curiosity, simply smirking until Jane reaches her eyes again.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Rizzoli." she winks. "I've only got my navel pierced... for now." The brunette's mouth goes dry at the thought, a response she doesn't entirely understand.

"Would you like to see?"

"What?"

Maura smiles as she rises slowly, using Jane's shin as leverage to push of the sofa. Jane licks her lips as she turns around, slender fingers working their way under the loose shirt. Maura is true to her word and reveals a tiny jewel that hangs through her navel, it glitters pink in the dim light as Jane reaches out for it. Her olive fingers stop just short of brushing the slender abdomen, her fingertips catching on the sparkling jewel for a few brief moments.

Oliver's cries startle both girls. Jane returns her hands to her lap and begins to rise before Maura places a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me."

Jane helps herself to another beer from the fridge, slumping back onto Maura's couch as she takes in the house. The decor is definitely expensive, but not the antique style she had anticipated from her friend's parents. It's all modern angles, red and lime green complimenting every shiny surface that her eyes catch on.

She carries on this way for a while before shifting her eyes to the clock across the wall. Maura disappeared almost half an hour ago and despite the silence now emanating from the baby monitor she still hasn't returned.

"Geez, Maur, what the hell are you doing up there?" Jane mumbles as she pushes from the couch.

She takes hesitant steps up the staircase, unwilling to wake her son if in fact he has actually returned to sleep. She finds Maura's bedroom door slightly ajar and at first sees nothing but darkness. As her eyes adjust however she can see Maura by the portable crib they had set up only hours before.

"_Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? You better cool it off before you burn it out. You got so much to do and only so many hours in a day... hey..."_ Maura hums, splaying her fingers wide across the infant's spine. "_When will you realise... Vienna waits for you_?"

Maura presses a kiss to the soft hair at her shoulder, swaying her hips from side to side gently as she continues the song.

"_But you know that when the truth is told that you can get what you want or you can just get old. You're gonna kick off before you even get half way through-ooh_."

"_When will you realise... Vienna waits for you?"_

Jane catches Maura's hand on her sons back and covers it with her own as the blonde meets her eyes. She expects Jane to take back her son and is surprised when the brunette winds a hand around her waist, leaving the others rested atop her fingers.

"_Slow down you're doing fine_," Jane begins quietly, urging Maura to continue. "_You can't be everything you want to be before your time_."

"_Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight, tonight."_

The girls stop at the same time, small smiles forming across their lips. Maura only pulls away when Jane nods her head, turning from the taller woman's embrace to set Oliver in his crib. She brushes the hair from her face and leaves a lingering kiss on the small boy's temple, stepping back so that Jane may do the same. She watches the slender frame repeat her action, a new and wider smile forming on her lips. After a moment of smoothing her son's hair, Jane pulls back and turns to Maura. A new found softness has fallen over her features and Maura isn't entirely sure what it means until she feels strong arms encasing her.

"We love you too, Maur."


	4. Lavender

When Jane woke to the quiet whimpers of her son, the first thing she noticed was the warm arm wrapped around her waist. A small frown played on the brunettes face as she looked around the room, her slightly hung over brain eventually recalling the night just passed. Mauras; they were at Maura's.

"Do you want me to get him?" Maura mumbled as she pulled her body closer to her best friends, nuzzling her face into the crook of the taller girl's neck. Jane let her eyes drift close as she basked in the feeling of having another body so close to her own.

"No, I've got him." Jane whispered as she slipped out of Maura's grasp, a quiet sigh escaping her mouth at the sudden loss of body contact. Just as fast as Jane left the bed, she was back with her son in her arms. "What time is it?" Jane asked as she tried to mentally calculate how long ago her last beer was.

"5.40." Maura groaned as she rolled onto her back, her eyes slowly opening into the dark room. Once Jane was convinced it had been more than three hours since her last alcoholic drink, she slipped one side of her singlet down to feed her son.

"Go back to sleep." Jane instructed the honey blonde who had turned her body and was smiling affectionately at the little boy feeding beside her.

"Are you going to be able to go back to sleep?" Maura asked, her eyes struggling with every bit of power they had to stay open. Jane let out a silent yawn as she nodded, knowing her son would happily fall back asleep after his morning feed.

"My head." Jane moaned quietly as a familiar pounding began inside her skull. It had been more than a year since the last time Jane had the opportunity to drink, and suddenly she realised why drinking was never one of her favourite things.

"I'll go get you some pain killers." Maura sighed as she slipped out of the bed, pulling all of her hair into a messy bun. Jane couldn't find the smile that made its way onto her face when her best friend walked past her in her Hello Kitty slippers.

"I will do anything you want today if you go back to sleep for a few more hours." Jane whispered as she pressed light kisses against her baby's head; his intoxicating baby smell causing every muscle in her body to relax. As if on cue, the little boy closed his eyes as he finished nursing.

"What do you want to do today?" Maura asked as she came back into the room, switching on a lamp in the corner of the room so she could look her friend in the eye.

"I really do need to study." Jane sighed, taking the pills from her friend and swallowing them with a sip of water. Maura nodded as she slipped back into bed, pulling the blankets up around her body to protect her from the cold air that filled the room.

"Can we go have breakfast somewhere first?" Maura asked sweetly, offering the biggest smile she could in her friends direction. She earned a chuckle in response, Jane rolling her eyes; knowing she couldn't have said no even if she had wanted to.

"Can we dye your hair first?" Jane asked as she carefully shifted her body down the bed so she could comfortably rest her head on the headboard. Butterflies filled Maura's stomach as she imagined how her mother was going to react when they got back from Paris.

"Suddenly awake, are we?" Maura teased as her friend face lit up at the mere thought of dying her hair. Jane nodded unapologetically.

**xxxx**

"It looks **so **good." Jane commented from the passenger seat of Maura's Jeep as they drove to the small café Maura had been dying to share with her best friend and her little boy.

"Do you think so?" Maura asked nervously, glancing at herself in the rear view mirror and taking a deep breath as she noted the lavender hair that stared back at her. Jane chuckled at her friends trepidation; never imagining a girl with piercings, tattoos and dip dyed hair to be so nervous about change.

"You look really beautiful." Jane promised, placing a comforting hand on Maura's thigh. "I can't wait for Oli to wake up and see you." Jane laughed, wondering if the little boy was going to be confused by the dramatic change to his favourite person.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere else?" Maura asked through gritted teeth when the two girls pulled up in front of the sweet, family run café. Jane frowned at her friend who turned her whole body in her seat so she was facing the brunette. Jane's eyes scanned the small café, catching a glance of two young girls sitting close to each other.

"Oh my god is that her?!" Jane asked in shock as she leant over Maura so she could get a better look at the girl who broke her friends heart.

"Can we please eat somewhere else." Maura begged as she closed her eyes to keep her panic attack at bay. She was yet to see her ex in person.

"Are you kidding me?" Jane asked with a glare on her face as she climbed out of the passenger seat of the car. Maura took two deep breaths before she got out of the car. "Here." Jane said as she placed her little boy in Maura's arms.

"It's pretty sunny out." Maura noted as she squinted, wishing her arms weren't full with the little boy so she could place her glasses on her face. Jane looked past Maura's shoulder and noted that the girl had figured out that Maura was here.

"Let me." Jane chuckled as she took the glasses off of Maura's head and placed them on her eyes. "Just put this over his eyes." Jane added as she handed Maura Oliver's comfort blanket she had gotten for him two weeks prior.

"Do you want to sit outside?" Maura asked, slowly catching on to what Jane's plan seemed to be. Jane smirked without saying a word as she laced her hand with Maura's, leading her to a small table on the opposite side of the outdoor setting.

"What's good here?" Jane asked as she skimmed over the menu that was sitting on the table before her. Maura stared at her through her sunglasses, wondering if she should ask what was going on.

"I really love the bacon burger."

"Sold." Jane chuckled, not needing to hear anything except bacon to be convinced what she wanted. Jane pulled her chair closer to Maura and her little boy, lifting up the light blanket that covered his face to find the boy wide awake. "You are so cheeky."

"He's awake isn't he?" Maura giggled, shaking her head as she completely removed the thing covering his eyes so she could sit him up. The second he laid eyes on his favourite girl, a huge smile made its way onto his little face.

"Do you like it baby?" Jane asked in that high pitched voice everyone seemed to use when they spoke to Oliver while she took a piece of Maura's lavender hair. The little boy reached out and placed the piece of hair directly into his mouth, both girls laughing in unison. "Oh god." Jane breathed as she looked behind Maura, her eyes widening as the brunette quickly made a decision.

"What…"

"Don't freak out." Jane whispered as she placed the large smile back on her face before she stood up, leaning down to place a gentle kiss against Maura's lips. Maura felt her whole body tense at the sudden feeling of her friends lips against her own. Jane was softer than Maura had ever imagined. "I'll be back." Jane whispered as she pulled away, licking her lips before she disappeared.

"Maura?" The blonde felt a lump grow in her throat at the sound of her ex-girlfriends voice. With Oliver resting over her shoulder, Maura turned slightly to the side.

"Oh, Daisy, hi." Maura said with a high pitched voice, trying as hard as she could to act as though she wasn't still playing back the kiss she'd just received over and over in her mind. It was an unsettling feeling to see Daisy look almost the same as the day she left, even more unsettling to look at her and feel like their lives together are now world's away.

"How have you been?" the pink haired girl asks suddenly, shifting on her feet to glance at the child in Maura's arms. "I never guessed you'd move on so quick." she chuckles.

"Neither." Maura breathes, biting at her lip. "But I've been well, things, things are nice." she says honestly. She smiles at small boy in her arms, never having believed that those words could be as true as they are now.

"Hey, honey, sorry that took so long." Jane smiles, ignoring the other woman as she passes Maura the warmed bottle. Maura closes her fingers around the item but her face remains that of confusion until Jane flicks her eyes to Daisy. Oh, ohh.

"I'm Jane." The brunette grins, thrusting her palm towards the pink haired girl. "I'm her girlfriend." Instead of shaking the offered hand, Daisy looks straight to Maura. The blonde is blushing from her ears to her chest, solemnly wishing she could just sink into the pavement.

"Charmed." Daisy purrs, voice dripping with satire as she turns back to young mother mimics the expression as she takes her seat across from Maura once more.

"You know what, Jane, I'm suddenly not feeling so well and Oliver is feeling a little hot. I think we should just take our food to go." Maura is practically pleading as she rises from the table, but Jane is having none of it.

"Are you sure you're not just thirsty, Maur? Maybe you should have a drink." A strong one; Maura thinks.

"I'm sure, Jane. I'd like to leave but if you and Oliver would like to stay that's fine by me." she concedes, irritation prickling under her collar.

She thrusts a hundred dollar bill in Jane's direction, "Money for breakfast and a cab." Jane's mouth is hanging open slightly as the blonde hands her back her son, watching as the woman swiftly turns on her heel after a quick goodbye to the pink haired girl who now bares a smug grin across dimpled cheeks.

"Trouble in paradise?" she chuckles. Jane considers making a bigger scene than the three of them already have, but refutes the idea when she catches sight of Maura's lavender hair disappearing around the corner to her car.

"Shove it." she growls, pushing past the other woman with her son. Maura slams her hands against the steering wheel of her car, sighing with frustration. Things would have been fine if Jane hadn't pretended to be her new girlfriend, right? Things were going to be awkward enough without being put on the spot like she had been when Jane kissed her.

Jane kissed her. Maura touches her lips absentmindedly, flicking her eyes to the rearview mirror as a blush spreads across her cheeks.

"Maur? Maur, unlock the doors."

Jane taps on the window again to draw the smaller woman's attention, juggling Oliver in the crook of her elbow as he dribbles down his shirt. Finally Maura grants the request, allowing Jane to strap Oliver in his seat.

"You shouldn't have done that." Maura breathes as she starts the car.

"Done what, pretended to be your new girlfriend?" Jane chuckles, running her hand across Maura's thigh briefly.

"Yes, it wasn't very nice to me or to Daisy."

"To Daisy?" Jane whines, slumping back as Maura pulls out of their park.

"It was unfair to put me on the spot and to lie to her. You know I can't lie, Jane."

"I never asked you to," the taller woman snaps. "Look, I was just trying to help you out."

"I know," Maura admits softly. "I know you wouldn't do it to hurt me, I just..." Maura sighs and brushes a stray freshly dyed hair from her face, reaching a hand out to clasp Jane's.

"Daisy always had a habit of getting under my skin, not always in a good way as you now understand. Today was the first time I've seen her since the morning she left and I just wasn't prepared for her to looks so..."

"The same?" Jane mumbles.

"Yeah." They drive in silence for a while, Maura's fingertips tracing over Jane's knuckles until they reach a busier road. Oliver falls asleep in the back seat, his snores soon lulling the girls back to calm.

"What did you see in her anyway?" Jane questions eventually, keeping her gaze out the window.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, I know what she saw in you, but what attracted you to her?"

"She was wild," Maura admits with a smirk. "Is wild. With Daisy there was a new club every night, new people, people I would never normally have had the chance to meet. There was never a dull moment in the life of Daisy Lane and I guess I just got caught up being a part of that in the beginning."

Jane hums acknowledgement. "So that's your type then?"

"I don't have a type." Maura laughs. "Do you?"

"Maybe," the brunette grins. "Maybe my type is men who leave me with their children. Maybe I should be a lesbian." Both girls laugh at the statement, Maura shaking her head at the incredulous woman at her side.

"I'm sure I could introduce you to some if you made that decision."

"Why not you?" Jane suggests, raising her eyebrow in the direction of lavender waves.

"You're not my type." Maura giggles.

"Well that's just rude." Maura sighs again, beginning to feel the shock of seeing her ex-girlfriend alleviate against her chest.

"So how'd you meet her?"

"Why are you so curious about her, Jane?" Maura smiles. Jane shrugs her shoulders, in all honestly she doesn't really know; but something inside her nags her to find out.

"I met Daisy at a party. You know my mother's an artist? Well Daisy's parents run a gallery in the city and by some stroke of luck she just happened to be forced into attending the same show that I was. It's funny," Maura chuckles, feeling a fondness fill her chest. "She looked so different to everybody else, so... dark and mysterious. I remember thinking that I'd never been so close to someone like that."

Jane watches the way Maura's face lights up at the memory and she almost wishes she hadn't asked. It begins making her feel selfish inside.

**xxxx**

Maura lays in bed alone that night, almost wishing she hadn't taken Jane and Oliver back to their dorm. Then there is Daisy, Daisy who had shown her the real world in a way no one else ever could have. She's tried not to miss her, the 4pm breakfasts and the parties that last a full seven days; she's tried not to miss the way that in sleep Daisy was the most tender person she'd ever met.

Maura sighs and reaches for her phone, she can't help logging on to Instagram and searching Daisy's page. It's full of pictures, none of them food, all of them her and other girls. She doesn't have to scroll down too far before she finds the one's they made together. There's one there that she took of Daisy just two days before she left. It's dark and blurry and the figure stretched out by the sea is hard to distinguish, but it's Daisy, she knows it's her.

There are more from before then, parties they went to, streetlights they kissed under; then there's one of them, two of them from the same night. Maura smiles at the memory, one is them both at one of her parent's parties, bore of the century Daisy had called it. She remembers sex in the coat room had been a delicious accident.

The next picture is from later the same night, a club down town where Daisy had gotten so drunk she tried to steal a taxi. Maura laughs and shakes her head; losing one of her $1500 shoes had been the real accident.

It took Maura all but three seconds to instead make her way to Jane's Instagram, photos of herself with Oliver staring her in the face. The page was mainly full of photos of the beautiful little boy, though once Maura got down far enough she began to see photos of Jane's pregnant stomach. The blonde felt her breath catch in her throat at the bare stomach before her. She noted a brown freckle one of side of the rounded stomach and instinctively liked the photo.

J: _R u ok? _Maura's phone buzzed from her hands suddenly, making her jump before she smiled at the text from her best friend.

M:_ I'm quite well now. Thanks for checking up :)_

J: _No probs. I just put Oli down. We miss u already_

Maura smiles, she misses them too. It's already 11 and she should say goodnight but instead her fingers type of their own accord.

_M: J, have you ever kissed a girl before?_

She hits send before she thinks too hard, internally berating herself for every second that ticks by without a response. When it finally comes she can't help but lunge for her phone.

J: _Besides u 2day? Only once. 8th grade I kissed Riley Cooper on a dare._ _But if ur calling our peck on the lips a kiss then u mustn't have had many real kisses._

Maura feels her chest sink slightly. Maybe Jane is right, and maybe she's over thought the action too much. She's surprised when her phone chimes again.

J: _If I ever kiss u for real, u'll know ;D Night Maur xo_

**xxxx**

"Gooood morning!" Maura announces loudly as she lets herself into Jane's dorm room the next morning. She is met with a frown from her sleepy best friend whose sitting against the wall beside her bed with Oliver attached to her chest.

"What are you doing?" Jane groaned as she let her eyes drift closed, unable to comprehend why her friend was in her room at six thirty in the morning. Maura smiled warmly as she pulls a large coffee out from behind her back. "Never mind come in." Jane smiles, holding her hand out to her best friend.

"You're going to study today and Oliver and I are going to go shopping." Maura told her best friend matter-of-factly. Again, she is met with a frown.

"It's six thirty in the morning, Maura." Jane reminds her as she places the coffee beside her bed so she can swallow it all the second her son is done nursing.

"You've had enough sleep, you'll be fine." Maura assures with a mere shrug of her shoulders as she leans down to press her lips against the forehead of the little boy whose fast become her family.

"Why did you randomly like a photo of my stomach last night?" Jane asked as she leant her head back against the brick wall behind her, remembering the late night notification that lit her phone up the night before.

"I was just having a look." Maura replied coolly, trying to hide the fact that seeing her beautiful friend with a pregnant stomach gave her butterflies.

"I miss my big belly." Jane admits quietly with an affectionate smile in her sons direction, her mind filling with fond memories of her little boy kicking from inside her.

"What was it like?" Maura probed as she took another sip of her coffee, trying to imagine a world where Oliver wasn't around.

"I had a really easy pregnancy. No real cravings and no stretch marks." Jane announced proudly as she tapped her now completely flat stomach. Oliver stretched his head to look at Maura who had scooted closer to her friend on the mattress.

"Hi sweetheart!" Maura exclaimed as the boy's face broke out in a wide smile. It was strange to Maura that she knew that all she had to do was tilt her head upwards and she would quite easily be able to see Jane's nipple, but she couldn't stop staring at the boy.

"Here." Jane smiled as she easily handed the boy over, placing her breast back in her shirt before she stood up, needing to show someone how far she'd come since giving birth. "Ta da!" She announced proudly as she lifted her shirt up to reveal a completely flat, toned stomach.

"Are you real?" Maura teased with a smirk, trying not to bite down on her bottom lip at the sight of Jane's black lace underwear peeking out from the top of her sweat pants.

"You bet I am baby." Jane winked as she picked up her coffee cup, her shirt still revealing her toned abs as she finished the whole beverage in mere seconds.


	5. With You

"Are you sure it's okay that we're here?" Jane asked nervously as Maura pulled her Jeep up in front of her large, now familiar, house. The brunettes turned in her seat to look at the small mirror positioned over Oliver's car seat; he was fast asleep.

"Jane, I invited you." Maura reminded her with a warm smile, hoping it would calm her friend down. Jane nodded slowly, taking two deep breaths as Maura turned the car off, waiting patiently for her to be ready to head inside and meet her family.

"Okay let's do it." Jane smiled, eager to get the awkward introductions over and done with. She suddenly really wished she'd taken her Ma up on the offer of watching Oliver for her today.

"I'm warning you in advance, Lily is going to adore you." Maura giggled, already more than aware that her little sister was going to be all over her best friend and the little boy. Jane didn't say anything as she unclipped the car seat from Maura's backseat, shaking her head as the blonde tried to take it from her.

"I need something in my hands or I'll get too awkward." Jane whispered in explanation as they began walking up the steps to the front door. It had taken Maura two hours to convince her best friend to come with her to her sister's art show and she could not have been happier to have the company. "What's your dads name again?" Jane hissed as Maura opened the front door, the sight of a little girl running toward them cutting Maura off before she could reply.

"Mauuuuuurr!" The little girl squealed excitedly, Oliver jumping awake at the sudden harsh sound. Maura lifted the little blonde girl into her arms the second she was close enough, panic rising in Jane's chest as she heard Oliver begin to whimper.

"Shhh." Maura instructed the girl who, to Jane, seemed to be a spitting image of her best friend. Lily frowned at her sister's command until the older sibling pointed at the car seat in Jane's hands.

"Baby!" The little girl whispered excitedly, squirming out of Maura's arms. She was wearing clothes that Jane deemed far too fancy for a four year old. Her little black dress fell just at her knees and her hair was delicately pulled back into a high bun. As if that weren't enough; she was wearing kitten heels.

"Hi." Jane forced in a quiet but happy voice as she bent down, placing Oliver's car seat on the floor and opening it up so the girl could get close to him. "I'm Jane and this is Oliver."

"He's so cute!" The little girl informed Jane as she walked directly into Jane's arms and leant against her body while she touched Oli's hands and face gently.

"They're going to come with me, mommy and daddy to your show." Maura informed her sister with a smile, knowing how excited her sister was going to be over this revelation.

"Mommy isn't here." Lily replied without hesitation as she held her arms out to Jane, expecting to be picked up. Jane raised her eyebrows at Maura who merely walked forward and picked up the car seat. Jane cleared her throat as she lifted the slight girl onto her hip with ease.

"Daddy?" Maura called, a small smirk playing on Jane's lips while the little girl in her arms ran her fingers through the curly hair before her. Maura called her father _daddy_. Who'd have known? "Hey." The blonde smiled affectionately as they rounded the living room and made their way into the kitchen. Maura instinctively walked straight into the older man's arms, sighing contently at the feel of her dads arms around her again.

"Look at you." Her father chuckled as he shook his head, taking in Maura's new lavender locks. Maura smiled innocently up at her father who kissed her hair. "You look beautiful baby."

"Daddy look, there's a baby in there!" Lily exclaimed from Jane's arms, pointing down at the car seat Maura had placed on the counter before them. The man smiled at Oliver, looking at Jane before he spoke.

"May I?" He asked as his hand hovered over Oliver's. Jane made a mental note to thank him for asking before touching her son. Most people touched him and asked afterwards.

"Of course." Jane smiled, walking closer and placing the little girl on a stool beside her father. As usual, everyone's attention remained on her little boy for far longer than anticipated. He seemed to put everyone in a trance.

"I'm sorry, I'm Alexander. You must be the famous Jane." The man laughed as his warm eyes finally broke away from Jane's son to rise in Maura's direction. The blondes eyes got wide for a moment before she cautiously laughed, nodding at her dad.

"That's me." Jane laughed, not quite understanding what had just happened.

"Your son is extremely beautiful." He told Jane with the most genuine look of approval she had ever seen in her life. She thanked him with a small nod, feeling extremely proud that her little boy seemed to have such an effect on everyone he met.

"What's this I hear about mom not being here?" Maura asked as she unclipped Oliver from his car seat, looking to Jane for approval before she picked him up. The brunette merely nodded as Lily stood up on her chair, gently placing her arms around Jane's neck for stability.

"She had to work." Her father replied blankly, the conversation seeming to end there as Maura placed Oliver closer enough to her sister so she could give him a careful cuddle.

"What time does her thing start?" Maura asked, not bothering to ask any more questions about her mother. Jane made note to ask her about it later.

"You've got two hours." Her dad replied as he looked down at his watch. The older man took a sip of his coffee before he frowned at his younger daughter standing on the chair. "You're lucky your mother isn't here." He warned her, winking at the little girl when her face turned to panic.

"Is that what she's wearing?" Maura asked, taking in Lily's formal appearance. Jane mentally cringed as she realised how casual she and her son were going to look at this event. She was yet to see this side of Maura's life, and she wasn't at all prepared.

"That's what your mother laid out for her." Her father smirked as he went back to reading the newspaper that was resting on the counter in front of him. He placed his hand on his face, gently stroking his well-groomed grey beard to stifle a laugh, clearly knowing how his eldest was going to respond.

"Righto. Is that what you want to wear?" Maura asked Lily who immediately shook her head, extending one of her feet in her sister's direction. Maura giggled as she unclasped the black shoes and removed them from her sister's feet with her one free hand.

"Should I go grab us something better to wear?" Jane asked Maura nervously, looking down at her green sundress and flat black and white shoes.

"Jane, you look beautiful." Maura informed her best friend in a gentle voice. Jane bit down on her bottom lip at her friend's words, Maura's father smirking.

"Can I wear your dress?" Lily asked as she reached for her sister, frowning when she was met with nothing but one hand.

"Of course you can." Maura smiled as she handed Oliver to Jane. "Come on." The blonde smiled as she lifted the little girl into her arms, making her way upstairs.

**xxxxxx**

"Wear your dress?" Jane asked in confusion as she placed Oliver on the play mat they had left behind the last time they were in Maura's bedroom.

"She's in love with this dress I used to wear when I was her age." Maura responded with a smile as she opened her large walk in robe.

"Should we drop Oliver at my mom's place before we go?" Jane wondered, looking down at her little boy feeling sick at the thought of enjoying herself with her son.

"If you'd like, but I'm sure he'll be okay with us. I'll wear him if you like." Maura responded loudly from her wardrobe. Jane smirked, seeing an opportunity.

"You'll WEAR my son?!" She asked in horror, smiling down at her little boy who beamed up at her as though he knew exactly how she was teasing her best friend.

"No I mean the baby sling thing. You know that blue fabric-"

"Maura I knew what you meant." Jane chuckled, rolling her eyes at her seemingly clueless best friend.

"Ready!" Lily announced as she traipsed into her sisters room. She held a faded dress in her hands as she crawled up onto Maura's large king sized bed.  
>"Okay, give it here." Maura replied as she emerged from the wardrobe, pulling her hair back into a messy pony tail. Jane felt her tongue tracing the contours of her lips as she looked her best friend up and down.<p>

Maura was standing dressing her sister wearing a figure hugging black and white knee length high waisted skirt with a loose fitting black singlet tucked into it. She topped her outfit off with plain back high heels. Jane swallowed, feeling a strange influx of butterflies fill her stomach at the sight before her.

"Can I take your hair down?" Maura asked Lily, snapping Jane from her day dream. The brunette cleared her throat as she watched Maura pull the little girl's hair out of the high bun it was in and instead putting it in a messy pony tail like her own.

"Want me to dress you too?" Maura asked with a smirk without turning to look at Jane, letting her friend know she knew she had been staring at her.  
>"Shut up." Jane laughed self-consciously as she lifted Oliver into her arms. "Do you have any nappies left here or do I have to go to the car?"<p>

"In my bathroom, bottom drawer." Maura replied through her half closed mouth, a bobby pin between her teeth as she struggled with Lily's hair.

"Can we play on the swings?" The little girl asked as she wrapped her small arms around Maura's waist once her hair was securely in a hair tie.

"Go, we'll be right behind you I promise." Maura instructed the girl who immediately was off the bed and running out the door.

"He's never been on a swing." Jane realised, Maura's eyes lighting up at the notion she was going to be present for one of the little boys firsts.

**xxxx  
><strong>  
>"Do you want to do it?" Jane asked Maura as she offered her son to her, knowing she was going to want to capture the look on her sons face on her cell phone. The blonde kicked off her heels and clapped her hands together, taking Oli and lifting him into the air before kissing all over his face.<p>

"Ready?" Maura asked the confused little boy as she slowly pulled the baby swing back, letting it go and watching Oliver's face go completely blank as he tried to understand what was happening.

"Baby, its okay I promise!" Jane promised, laughing as she leant forward to touch his hand when he swung back towards them. The little boy had a deep frown on his face suddenly, his bottom lip beginning to tremble.

"No!" Maura giggled, praying he would miraculously change his mind and love the swing. Jane instinctively laced an arm around her best friend's slim waist as they stood and waited for him to scream. Jane let out a content sigh as her thumb gently brushed against Maura's hip bone. Maura wasn't oblivious to the touch, her heart racing in her chest at the realisation that all she wanted in that moment was to turn and kiss her best friend. They waited all of three seconds before his cries were echoing through the large backyard.

"Okay, no more." Jane pouted, removing her hand from Maura's body and placing her cell phone in her back pocket before lifting her little boy out of the swing and settling him against her chest.

"Do you want to sit out here for a bit before we go?" Maura asked her best friend, slightly breathless from her sudden realisation. She looked straight into Jane's eyes, her head feeling as though it were spinning as Jane directed a dimpled smile in her direction.

"Lily do you want to hold Oliver?" Jane offered the little girl who was still swinging on the swings. The little girl smiled as she came bounding towards the girls, sitting beside them on the grass and holding her arms out.

"Be _very _gentle." Maura warned as she nervously watched Jane lower her little boy into Lily's awaiting arms. The little girl kissed his face and cooed at him until she got bored, her eyes going back to the swing. "Let me get a quick photo." Maura pleaded as she grabbed her own phone as Jane placed Oliver back in her own arms.

"Okay, go play." Jane chuckled after Maura snapped the photograph, the little girl bursting with energy running toward a soccer ball rather than the swings suddenly. Jane watched as the young girl ran around the yard, tripping over her own bare feet more than once. Every time she got up and continued chasing the ball as though her life depended on it. Jane felt a small smile play on her lips as she found herself wondering if Oliver was going to like soccer.

Was he going to want to play baseball? Would he spend his afternoons running around a grassy backyard? A quiet sigh escaped Jane's throat as she wondered if Maura would still be around by that stage; or if Casey would be back and decide he suddenly wanted a piece of her minivan life.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked as she looked at Maura who was staring at her with a completely blank face, almost as though she had just seen a ghost. Maura swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat as she suddenly began seeing her best friend in a completely new light.

"Sorry, yeah." Maura replied with a husky voice, a sweet smile playing on her lips as she let her eyes really ghost over Jane's features for the first time. She'd never really noticed how beautiful Jane Rizzoli was until she was sitting in her backyard holding her son watching Maura's little sister run around with nothing but compete joy on her face. "You are just so beautiful. I've never really noticed it before."

"Maura." Jane chuckled awkwardly, covering her face with the hand that wasn't holding her son safely in her lap. Maura giggled at her friend's reaction, knowing how self-conscious Jane was when it came to the way she looked.

"I'm a very lucky girl having such a gorgeous best friend." Maura added, a quiet groan escaping Jane's mouth though the smile playing on the corner of her lips told Maura she was secretly extremely flattered.

"You're a dork." The brunette commented back with a loving smile, both of them knowing there was no way Jane would be able to compliment her back that way. Jane wasn't the best when it came to words. "You two look a lot alike." Jane pointed out suddenly as Lily ran past them, forgetting the soccer ball as she hoped on the swing again.

Maura fought a smile, wondering if now was a good time to let her best friend in on her most protected secret; that she was adopted. She opted not to.

"She's lucky she looks like me." Maura joked instead, flicking her pony tail over her shoulder dramatically.

"She is." Jane replied, her eyes on Lily as she spoke. "Hey what's the deal with your mom?" Jane asked, Maura's heart sinking in her chest at the mention of her, as usual, absentee mother.

"She's just working." Maura shrugged, playing it off as nothing more than that. The brunette rolled her eyes; internally reminding herself that she knew Maura better than Maura knew herself.

"You can talk to me." Jane reminded her gently, reaching a hand out to rest on her friend's thigh. Maura nodded with a forced smile as she placed her hand over Jane's, revelling in the feeling of their skin touching.

_I could spend the rest of my life like this_, Maura thought to herself. Her eyes widened the second the thought passed through her head, her hand pulling away from Jane's quickly. _Oh god._


	6. Blue Steel

Maura spent the next week avoiding Jane as though her life depended on it. She had never been in love with a straight girl before and she sure as hell wasn't counting on Jane Rizzoli to be the first one she did fall in love with.

"This is so dumb." Maura groaned into her pillow, her father lying casually on the bed beside her smiling at his daughters regret when it came to showing her emotions.

"Why?" He asked, turning his head to look at her, though her face remained buried in her pillow. The blonde let out a dramatic sigh before rolling from her stomach to her side.

"Because she's my best friend and this is all too cliché for my liking." Maura told her father truthfully, knowing there would never be any sort of judgement pushed on her from the man she looked up to.

"Clichés exist for a reason, Maura." He reminded her, reaching out to push a strand of lilac hair away from her sweet face. Maura always had been far closer to her adoptive father than her mother. There was something so incredibly warm and trusting about him; her mother not so much.

"Daddy she has a _baby._" Maura reminded him with wide eyes, realising for the first time that should anything happen between her and Jane she would inherently become a parent.

"Who completely adores you." Her father responded with a soft smile, earning a frown from his eldest daughter who was counting on her dad to talk her _out _of her feelings.

"Maybe I'm just confused, you know? I got all those nice feelings seeing her with Oli and Lily but that doesn't mean anything." Maura rambled, her father slowly nodding along to her words.

"Why don't you invite her to my thing tonight?" Maura raised her eyebrows, complete unaware that her father did have a _thing _that night.

"She has no idea what you do for a living." Maura admitted with a giggle, realising Jane was the only one of her friends that hasn't commented on how gorgeous her father is. No one is ever surprised by his career; maybe Jane will be.

"I was going to ask you to watch Lily, but you two should come." Maura let out a quiet sigh, wondering how comfortable Jane would be in the presence of her father's rich friends.

"Who's going to babysit Lily then?" Maura asked her father, realising that Jane would only be able to come if she was able to find a baby sitter for Oliver.

"I'm sure your grandmother won't mind watching Oliver too." Her dad laughed as he sat up, pushing his salty brown hair away from his handsome, unshaven face.

"How do you do that?" Maura asked with squinted eyes. How her father _always _knew exactly what it was she was thinking was beyond her.

"You know Jane isn't Daisy, right?." Her father asked suddenly, catching Maura completely off guard.

"Excuse me?" She asked with a blank expression, her heart racing in her chest at the fact her father had even mentioned her ex-girlfriend.

"Baby you cannot let one toxic relationship ruin what you may have with this girl." After a moments silence, a loud groan came from Maura as she threw her face back into the pillow. Her father's throaty laugh filled her ears, forcing a small smile on her lips despite how conflicted she felt.

"Call her, bambino." Maura felt the same smile play on her lips at her father's words. She loved when he called her anything in Italian.

**Xxxxx**

"A model. You're a _model_?" Jane asked Alexander sceptically as the man walked toward her, looking down and smiling at her sleeping son. "Like blue steel type of model?" Jane asked, still completely in disbelief as she wrapped her arms around Maura's waist for the first time in a week.

"Oh I _invented_ the blue steel look." Maura's father scoffed as Oliver slowly began waking up.

"I'm not sure I believe you, Mr Isles." Jane told him with an amused smile, praying her best friend's father intended on showing her this look he thinks he invented.

"Dad do not even think about…" Maura was cut off as her father pouted his lips, his eyes tightening as he turned his head slightly to the left causing Jane's laughs echoed loudly through the kitchen.

"Now I know where Maura gets her good looks from." Jane told him as she continued laughing, the older man's laughter dying down as he raised his dark eyebrows, his eyes directed at her daughter.

"Uh, do you need Maura's grandmother to watch him?" Maura's dad asked as he looked back down at Oliver with a small smile on his face. No one could resist the little boy's charm.

"No it's okay, my Ma is so excited to have some one on one time with him." Jane smiled, looking at her best friend whose hand was still lingering around her waist. "I was thinking, do you want to come meet her?"

"Your mother?" Maura asked nervously, her eyes instinctively moving to rest on her father who nodded discretely. Surely it wasn't normal to be this nervous about meeting your friends parent.

"My brothers might be there, but yeah, my mom." Jane smiled, her thumb gently rubbed Maura's hip bone until she cleared her throat.

"Well..." Maura hummed, catching and encouraging look from her father. "If you're sure that's okay." When Jane laughs it is full and deep as her fingers contract around Maura's hip before pulling away.

"Come on." she smiles. "We can make it to Ma's and back before we need to leave tonight. I'll even wear a dress for you." Jane winks. Maura feels the blush rise on her cheeks as Jane pulls away to the front door, only daring to follow as her father pushes her shoulder lightly.

"Go on sweetheart, I've got a good feeling about that girl."

**Xxxxx**

"Hey," Jane whispers, reaching her hand into Maura's lap from the driver seat. "What's got you so sad choir girl? I promise my mother isn't _that _bad." Maura smirks at her nickname and squeezes Jane's slender fingers between her own with a sigh.

"I'm adopted." Maura blurts, closing her eyes tightly. Jane doesn't say anything for a while, her grip never loosening on the lilac beauty's hand, eventually Maura lifts her gaze to see the woman focussed on the road.

"Jane?"

"Maura?" the brunette smiles back. Maura looks confused until Jane's thumb strokes across the back of her knuckles, tension rolling from her shoulders as her muscles relax.

"So what if you're adopted, Maur?" Jane shrugs. "I don't know why you never told me but it's pretty clear you see them as your family regardless."

"They are my family." Maura nods.

"Yeah, and you're _my _family." Jane stresses, turning into a suburban street. "Oliver and I basically adopted you and for reasons I don't understand you adopted him and I. That doesn't make our little family any less of a family." _Our family_. Maura smiles. Her, Jane and Oliver are a family?

Jane pulls into the driveway of a quaint white house, before she turns fully in her seat to Maura.

"Is that really what you were so worried about?" she whispers.

Maura searches the brown eyes that watch her so softly, shivering slightly as the brunette's fingers contract around her upper thigh. Her own eyes flick from Jane's to lips to eyes and back again, reaching out her hand to rest on Jane's neck as she leans forward.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli, you bring my grandbaby inside!"

Both girls jump away from one another, rushing to unbuckle their seatbelts and exit the car. Jane shakes her head with a smirk as she reaches into the backseat to get her son who chews on his teething ring, happily unaware of how different things suddenly were.

"Hey, Ma." Jane smiles as they reach the porch, kissing her waiting Rizzoli matriarch's cheek though the older woman doesn't seem overly focused on her daughter, more so the baby boy in her arms. Maura lingers behind slightly, mind still buzzing after their almost kiss.

"When did he get so big, Janie?" the older woman coos as she takes her grandson. "And his teeth are coming in!"

"I know, Ma." Jane groans, "I don't bring him home enough."

"Well you're here now." Angela smiles, smothering Oliver's face in kisses. "Just in time for lunch too."

"Come on." Jane grins, taking Maura's hand as they move inside. Maura just blushes, stumbling over her own feet to get inside.

"Ma, this is Maura Isles." the brunette introduces as they all stand in the sweet smelling kitchen.

Angela sits Oliver in his highchair and hands him a rusk before she looks over the lilac haired woman beside her daughter. She catches their joined hands and smiles; it's been so long since her Jane had had a best friend.

"So you're the famous Maura I've heard so much about. Welcome to the family, sweetheart." Maura releases Jane's hand as the older woman envelops her in a tight hug, watching the brunette giggle from the sidelines.

"It's lovely to finally meet you." Maura chokes as she's finally released.

"We would have met sooner if my Janie didn't have such bad manners."

"Ouch!" Jane exclaims as her mother swats her with the tea towel.

"I've got cannoli in the fridge baby." Angela laughs, returning to the stove.

"Oh my god, yumm!" the brunette purrs, licking her lips in a way that sends butterflies to Maura's abdomen. "Do you eat cannoli, Maur?"

"I can't say I've ever tried it." Maura admits sheepishly, taking the seat closest to Oliver so she can play with his fingers.

"Heavens child." the older Rizzoli sighs. "Janie, you better get some cream into her stat."

This time Maura laughs along with the women, watching Oliver's own smile spread at the cheery atmosphere.

"You'll love it." Jane assures as she sets a plate in front of her friend.

Maura pokes at the pastry with her fork as Jane sits across from her with her own plate. She's never heard of a cannoli before, nor does she understand why it must be stuffed full of cream, but the way Jane's eyes close with each bite assures her that she wants to taste it.

"Mmm..." Maura mumbles, feeling the cream melt across her tongue. "This is sinfully delicious."

Jane smiles as she watches her friend take one bite and then another and another until the plate is only painted with sparring bits of cream and powdered sugar.

"You've _ah_- there's some just..." Jane reaches a fingertip to Maura's lips and swipes a stray spot of cream from the corner, watching the blush paint her friend's chest as her own eyes darken of their own volition. "Here." she whispers, pulling away from Maura's face and licking the cream from her finger.

Maura's breath is heavy as she watches the brunette lick her fingertip of the cream that had caught on her very own lips, too distracted to notice the way Angela also watches their exchange.  
>Angela watches the two women stare at one another until Oliver beats his fists against the highchair, startling them both from their reverie, becoming acutely aware that it may not be just friendship between them.<p>

"Janie?" A young boy's voice echos through the house, a small affectionate smile playing on Jane's lips as her youngest brother walked into the room. Unlike his mother, all he seemed to see was Jane.

"Hi you." The boy didn't hesitate to wrap his arms tightly around his sister. Maura felt her heart swell at the sight before her. She hoped Lily looked at her like that when they were older.

"Missed you." The boy told her quietly, making Jane chuckle as she playfully pushed the boy away from her, pulling a grossed out face at him.

"Look." Jane stated simply, pointing toward her son who was resting in his grandmothers arms happily cooing away.

"Why hello."

"Hi." Maura smiled, extending her hand out to the young boy. "I'm Maura."

"Tommy." He replied, taking her hand in his and kissing it all the while keeping eye contact with Maura.

"Um. It's nice to meet you." Maura giggled awkwardly, her eyes shifting to look at Jane as though she were begging for her help. Tommy Rizzoli was most certainly not the Rizzoli she wanted to have kissing her.

"Tommy even if you weren't a little weirdo, you'd stand no chance. Maura bangs girls." Jane told her brother matter-of-factly as she wrapped an arm around her best friends shoulder, winking at her little brother.

"Jane!" Angela hissed, trying to cover Oliver's ears. Maura felt her whole body tense as she waited for the terrible reaction she was almost certain she was about to receive. "You didn't tell me you were seeing someone!"

"What?" Both Jane and Maura replied in unison, their eyes both resting on the older woman who looked as though she were suddenly about to implode with happiness.

"Oh my god, Ma, no." Jane chuckled awkwardly, removing her hand from Maura's body immediately as she realised the context in which her mother had taken her statement.

"That's not at all what she meant." Maura promised, feeling extremely on the spot.

"Oh." Angela replied with a sigh and for a moment Jane could have sworn she had seen a glimmer of disappointment in her mother's eyes.

**Xxxx**

_Maura is your friend, just your friend, isn't she? Maura is gay, but you're not, are you? No, you're not gay. You're just attracted to her, right? It's just sexual. Or is it just romantic? _

Jane groans at herself internally, fiddling with her fingers in her lap as she takes in Maura's exposed curves again. She had all but given up on keeping her stolen glances discrete. It was rare for the two to have time away from Oliver, and Jane planned on taking full advantage of having no distractions.

_Yep, it's definitely sexual. God, those curves. I just want to touch her. She was going to kiss you in the car, you were going to kiss her back. You _wanted _to kiss her back. So much. Get it together, Rizzoli. She's your friend, your friend who is at least a little into you._

"Jane?"

_She's saying your name. It sounds so sweet from her lips. How would she sound moaning it? No. Your mother didn't raise you to think of women that way, or men, or people. Not that it did much good. You got pregnant anyway and here you are. Yeah, here is actually pretty alright though, a handsome son and amazing best friend for whom you may or may not have a proverbial hard on for. Yeah, everything is great._

"Jane?"

Jane shakes her head from its reverie, shifting her eyes to catch the concerned look on Maura's face. The lilac haired woman's whole back is revealed, the smoothest skin Jane's ever had the pleasure to stare at. Her mouth is dry.

"Would you mind zipping me up?" Maura asks quietly with a polite smile.

Jane nods brusquely, standing on shaking legs so that she may cross the room. Everything is warmer behind Maura, her skin is radiating, and it makes her head fuzzy. Maura turns her head away, pulling lilac waves over her shoulder, exposing the column of her neck and defined shoulders.

Both women intake sharply as Jane's fingers trace Maura's lower back, nails inching just below the zip line as she takes it. Jane is slow as she pulls it upwards, her knuckles dragging along the exposed flesh before it's covered. When she finishes the task, neither woman moves. Jane lingers at the hair hanging over her friend's shoulder, sliding her fingers beneath it to pull it back. It smells the way her dorm room smells now, sweet, a lot like coconut strangely.

"Jane..." Maura breathes, turning in the woman's arms.

"You look really great, Maur. Beautiful." Maura blushes, toying with the fabric on Jane's hips as she felt all of her senses be completely overwhelmed by everything that was Jane Rizzoli.

"I think we better get going, I can't wait to see more of your dad doing that blue steel thing." Jane winks. Maura smiles as Jane takes her hand, but is momentarily surprised when the brunette's lips land on the corner of her mouth.

_Yeah.___Jane thinks. _Everything is pretty great._

**xxxxx**

_Jane, don't let Maura get drunk._ The brunette couldn't deny that she was given fair warning from her best friend's father yet as Maura laughed obnoxiously beside her she couldn't understand why this was so terrible.

"Are you having fun?" Jane chuckled as her best friend continued to giggle at something _she _had said ten minutes earlier. Maura nodded in Jane's direction as she let out a quiet sigh, revelling in the feel of the other girls hand laced with her own.

"What do you think?" Maura asked as she looked around her, finishing her seventh glass of champagne. Jane looked around the semi-crowded room at the men and women dressed in designer clothes she would never be able to afford. She wanted to comment on how much she didn't fit in this world, but as her eyes met Maura's she realised she did fit.

"I'm happy." Was all Jane came back with, bringing Maura's hand to her face so she could gently kiss the back of her hand. Maura's brain flashed back to earlier in the day when she had wished Jane would kiss and noted how worth the wait it was.

"Do you miss Oli?" Maura wondered, unable to hide the fact that _she _was looking forward to seeing the little boy again. It felt strange not seeing Jane holding her son.

"I thought I would be going out of my mind." Jane confessed with a small smile as she too polished off her glass of champagne. "You make it okay."

Maura let the words sink into her inebriated mind, the whole time keeping eye contact with the girl beside her. Gently, Jane moved the hand that was in hers to wind around her waist. Maura swallowed the lump that quickly grew in her throat as Jane moved to lace her arm around the smaller girl's shoulders.

"I fit." Jane repeated her earlier words as she gestured to the little space between them. There was absolutely no doubt in either of their minds; they fit.


	7. Catch Me

"I don't know about this." Jane sighs as she sits on Maura's bed with her son in her arms.

"This will be good for you, and for him." Maura smiles as she folds a t-shirt neatly into her small black and white suitcase. It had taken Maura a week to convince Jane that going to the family wedding she had been invited to without her son was the best thing for both of them. Jane sighs on the bed, playing with her son's chubby fingers as he is propped on her abdomen.

"I'll miss him." she admits shyly, bringing his palm to her lips. Maura puts down the half folded jeans and slides onto the bed next to Jane, patting her thigh gently in understanding. Jane's only clause when it came to agreeing to leave her son behind was that Maura was the one who watched him while she was away; Maura had agreed without hesitation.

"You know," Maura breathes. "If you're okay with it, maybe he could stay here rather than me staying at the dorms with him."

"Why?" Jane asks hesitantly.

"Lily and Oliver adore each other, plus my dad can watch Oli while I shower." Maura smiles, taking Jane's hand in her own. "Family, remember?" Jane squeezes the soft hand in hers, before she can help herself it too reaches her lips. She lingers on Maura's knuckles, her lips gliding over each of them before she applies enough pressure to call it a kiss.

"Thank you." Jane whispers against the sweet smelling skin. The girls and Oliver stay that way for long moment, Maura's hand coming to rest on Jane's chest still held between olive toned hands.

"We should probably get a move on." Maura whispers reluctantly. Jane grumbles in agreement and sits up, handing Oliver into waiting arms. His little hand reaches for her face; she leans into the touch, his soft skin only a shade lighter than Jane's. She presses her lips to his fingers just as Jane had done to them both, watching a smile envelope his cheeks.

"Let me go warm a bottle before we go anywhere." Jane comments before she leaves the two alone in Maura's large bedroom

"Would you like to stay here with me this weekend?" she smiles, tickling his chest. He giggles, wiggling his tiny legs on her lap. His enthusiasm makes her chest warm, mouth upturned as she blows a raspberry onto his tummy. The little boy flails as she does it again and again until a knock downstairs disturbs them.

"Come on little guy." Oliver bounces on her hip as they head down stairs, passing Jane leaning against the kitchen wall on the phone. The knock comes again just as she reaches the door, smiling at the boy in her arms as she swings it open.

"Summer." Maura blurts with wide eyes at the sight of the girl before her. She hasn't seen the red head on her porch since just after she met Jane and Oliver, yet here she is.

"Come in." Maura offers hesitantly, her grip on Oli tightening ever so slightly.

"I've just come to drop something off." Summer assures, stepping inside the house. Her eyes shift between Maura and the babe in her arms, blushing as she spots Jane eyeing their exchange curiously.

"You said you had something for me." the lilac haired woman breathes, shifting Oliver on her hip.

"Oh, yeah," Summer laughs, fishing a hand through her purse. "You _ah_- you left these in my dorm." The appearance of teal lace makes Maura's stomach flip, reaching for the scant material swiftly and holding it close to her chest. She looks to Jane by the kitchen and to her disappointment, Jane was watching with wide eyes.

"Thank you." Maura forces with an embarrassed smile, balling the fabric tight in her hand. Summer leans forward and touches their lips together gently before she leaves the same way she'd come, a blush burning its way down Maura's chest.

_She was before Jane, you'd only just met her, and how were you supposed to know she'd mean so much to you now._

Jane catches her eye and Oliver gurgles in her ear. She doesn't mean to look guilty, she doesn't mean to feel guilty, and she knows she doesn't have to yet she felt sick to her stomach.

"So," Jane hums, stepping towards them, arms reaching out for her son. "First a Daisy and then a Summer." she laughs, accepting the dribbling child. "You really know how to pick 'em, Maur." Jane smiles in her direction, but Maura knows it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Do you want to go get some of his clothes before you leave or should I just go grab stuff after you've left?" Maura asks as she swallows the lump that has formed in her throat at being caught out.

**Xxxxx**

As excited as Maura was to spend some one on one time with her favourite little boy, she quickly came to realise just how huge of a task she had offered to complete for her best friend. It was easy taking care of him when there were two of them. While one heated a bottle or changed his nappy, the other distracted him and kept him amused. When it was just Maura; she was on double duty at all times.

"Daddy." Maura calls through the house as she carried Oliver on her hip down the stairs. Jane had been gone all of five hours and she already needed a breather from the baby.

"In the study." Alexander called in response. When Maura rounded the corner and walked into the room, she was shocked to see her mother sitting behind the large mahogany desk in the corner.

"Can you just watch him for ten minutes?" Maura pleaded as she walked directly to her father and handed the little boy over.

"Are you okay?" Her father laughed as Oliver placed his hands straight onto the man's beard, clearly in complete wonder of the thick hair on his face.

"Since when was watching him so hard." Maura wondered aloud as she dropped down onto the sofa in the middle of the room, sighing dramatically.

"Hello sweetheart." Her mother piped in suddenly making Maura's eyes roll. The young girl had no real understanding of where her resentment for her mother stemmed from, but it was definitely there.

"Hi." Maura replied with a forced smile as her mother stood and made her way toward her, taking a few strands of her daughter's hair between her hands as she got her first proper look at Maura's lavender hair.

"Such a waste of such beautiful hair." Then again, maybe Maura did know where that resentment came from. "Whose child is that?"

"Jane Rizzoli's."

"Who?" Maura took a deep, calming breath as she used every bit of self-control she had not to scream. From the corner of her eye she could see her father watching her with careful eyes, warning her that if she did explode, he wouldn't be having any of it.

"She's my best friend; she's at a wedding all weekend so I offered to babysit Oliver." Maura replied in a calm, collected voice as she stood and moved to pick the boy up. Giving her arms a ten minute break wasn't worth this.

"Maura don't." Her father whispered as he moved Oliver to rest on his knees

"Lily is outside." Her dad called after her as she left the room, instinctively walking toward the large backyard as her father's words echoed through the house. She hadn't seen her mother in almost a month and all she had done was insult her. Maura found herself desperately wishing Jane were there.

Lily is where her father said she would be, running circles around their yard with fairy wings bouncing on her back, a wide smile plastered on her sweet face.

"MAUREEEEEEEY-"she squeals, flying into her sisters arms with an _oomph_.

"Hey, pretty girl." Maura smiles, kissing her head lightly and sitting cross legged on the grass.

"Will you play fairies with me?" Maura sighs, letting her head fall back into the sun, rolling her eyes in the little girl's direction.

"Can we lie here for a while first, little moo?" Lily nods, laying on the warm grass and resting her head on her sister's abdomen. Maura plays with the tiny specks of glitter on her wings, smiling as some of it flecks of in her hands, glinting in the sun.

The two of them look more alike than one would expect seeing as neither of them shares any of the same genetic material. Maura remembers when Lily came to them, eight months old and sicker than any child she'd ever seen up close. She remembers the nights where Lily would stop breathing, where her little face would turn blue. Constance had been a different woman then, unlike Maura had ever seen her when she was a child, she had been soft, fragile.

Lily rolls into the palm that rests lazily across her chest, sighing with the heat that refuses to move around them.

"Maurey?" Maura smiles at her, moving them both to a sitting position.

"I love you, little moo." she whispers, still full of pure emotion from her almost argument with her mother moments earlier. She didn't even get a hug, just a rude comment. "And I don't tell you enough that you're the best little sister in the world."

Lily grins big, pushing herself up with her knees, allowing grass stains to seep into her clothes.

"You tell me all the time." she exasperates, little hands landing on her hips clearly not having any of Maura's banter today. "Can we play fairies now?" Lily catches the glint in Maura's eyes and takes off squealing before her sister can even stand.

"Good thing for me that I eat fairies for breakfast!" Maura grins menacingly, pushing to her feet and chasing Lily around the yard.

She runs towards the little blonde girl with arms outstretched, lilac hair falling around her own face with each exaggerated step, fingers poised in the perfect tickle position. Lily is quick on her feet, but she loses focus easily and has soon run right into her sister's path.

"Nooooo!" she cries, feeling her feet leave the ground as Maura scoops her up high. "Put me down! No tickles!" Maura laughs, tickling the child in her arms as she squirms desperately trying to escape.

"Maura?" The older of the girl's delivers one last tickle to her sister's exposed stomach before she wiggles free and is allowed to run off.

"Yes, Daddy?"

"I just got a call and I've got to go." Alexander sighs regrettably, smiling apologetically as he balances Oliver on his hip. "You'll have to take this little guy off my hands again." Maura makes her way back to the porch, taking Oliver into her arms with a grin in his direction.

"Thanks for the help, Daddy." she smiles, standing on tip toes to kiss his cheek before he's left and is back in the house getting ready. Oliver grabs at her shirt, his little fingers clenching and unclenching around the fabric, easily amused.

"Where's Ma?" Lily breathes, walking exhaustedly to meet the two approaching figures.

"I'm not sure, little moo." Maura admits. "She might be sleeping though so we should probably keep the noise down."

Lily nods, coming to sit where Maura has stopped, staring at the boy in her arms happily. Oliver shakes his arms gleefully when he sees Lily, the two of them having developed their own language as of late. Lily offers her hand for him to chew on and pull at as Maura watches them both, playing with the slightly gingery hair that has begun to grow thicker on Oliver's head.

"Is he my brother?" Lily asks suddenly. Maura lifts an eyebrow at the little girl, lips quirking in a smirk.

"Definitely not, why do you ask?" Lily shrugs, her hand following Oliver's movement as Maura sits him on the grass.

"Oliver would only be your brother if we had the same parents." Maura elaborates, watching Lily rub Oliver's rounded stomach.

"But you and _I _don't have the same parents and we're sisters." Lily states pointedly. Maura forgets that her little sister is far smarter and aware than anyone her age.

"Well, no." Maura accepts, biting her lip in defeat. "But you and I were adopted by the same people, that's what makes us sisters." She explains.

Lily considers these facts for a few moments, seemingly happy with her big sisters explanation.

"But why did Daddy and Mama adopt us?" she asks after a few moments. Maura picks at grass from the lawn, occasionally glancing over to make sure that Oliver isn't eating any of the fly away pieces.

"Because they could love us better than our other parents, Mama and Daddy adopted us because they love us and that's what's important, that's what makes us family."

"That's what makes us sisters?" Lily grins, displaying the side tooth she'd lost only recently.

"Yeah," Maura smiles back, reaching out to touch Oliver's little feet.

"Well," Lily decides, moving her hands to her hips and looking straight into Maura's eyes. "I love Oliver and that makes him my brother that makes him my family which makes him your family."

Maura stares at the little girl whose child like logic she actually _wants_ to agree with, feeling a genuine smile tug at her own lips.

"Yeah, little moo, I guess you're right." Satisfied with being right, Lily sits on the grass again. She runs her hand along Oliver's face, careful to avoid poking his eye as Maura had taught her.

"I love Jane too," she decides. "I already have a big sister so I don't need another one, but I love her and that makes her family just like Oliver; just like you and me." Maura swallows the lump in her throat as she forces a smile, aware there are some things you don't share with your baby sister. Like the fact that you would do anything for Jane to be your family in the she does.

"Let's go inside." Maura instructs as she stands and lifts Oliver into her arms, Lily running ahead of her up the steps inside.

"Lily, no baby put it back." A small smirk plays on Maura's lips at her father's quiet voice coming from the large main bathroom. He was never one for discipline, that's for sure.

When Maura got to the top of the stairs case and rounded the corner into the large bathroom she instantly saw what her dad was telling her sister not to do; go through every single drawer.

"Where are you going?" Maura asked, placing Oliver down on the cold tiled floor as she took her place on the edge of the bathtub. Alexander looked at his eldest daughter in the mirror, smirking at her knowing she had no intention of making it easy for him to leave; as if it ever was easy.

"Back to Serbia, sweetheart." The look on her father's face warned the oldest girl not to ask any further questions, and she had no intention of.

"Is mom watching Lily or am I? Because I sort of have my hands full." Maura reminded the man she'd spent her life looking up to, raising her eyebrows as they both looked down at Oliver who was biting down on the end of Constance's favourite hair brush. Neither of them took it off of him.

"You have to cut that out, bambino." Her father warned as he ran his hands through his hair. "Of course your mother is watching her."

"I was just making sure." Maura mumbled under her breath as she really took in the sight before her, Lily and Oliver both seeming to wrap themselves around Alexander's legs and feet. As in of cue, a text message from Jane rang through from her pocket.

Maura stood and snapped a quick shot of what was happening and forwarded the photo to her best friend, knowing she would get a kick out of it.

_Tell Blue Steel I'm so sorry. Not really though. _

"Jane apologises for him." Maura giggled as she quickly replied to the text message before pushing her phone into her bra hastily. "Not really though."

"You two are meant to be, I swear." Her father groaned as he carefully stepped over Oliver and made his way into his bedroom.

**xxxx**

"Thank you for being so good for me, my little honey bun." Maura whispered as she gently stroked the small amount of hair on Oliver's head. Jane had left strict instructions not to let him sleep in the bed with her, but what Jane didn't know wouldn't hurt her, Maura had decided. Oliver had really gotten the hang of rolling over lately though, so the second Maura was ready to sleep; she was going to place him in the basinet beside the bed.

The little boy gargled away at her, gently taking pieces of her lavender hair and placing it in his mouth over and over again. If there was one thing Maura had learnt from her time alone with the baby, it was to always be prepared. She'd placed a bottle in a large mug of warm water to warm up beside the bed before she'd taken him upstairs.

"Are you ready for your dinner?" Maura asked quietly, the dimly lit room giving Oliver's skin a glow that she knew Jane would replicate perfectly. Maura struggled to understand how she could be around someone so much and still be completely in awe of them as she handed Oli the bottle. He easily held it between his chubby hands, looking directly at Maura as he drank.

The quiet buzzing of Maura's phone made them both jump slightly. Jane's name was brightly strewn across the iPhone's screen, an excited feeling growing in Maura's stomach at the mere sight.

"Hello?" The second she answered the phone, she could hear the quiet hum of the wedding music in the background.

"Hi." Jane replied coolly, biting down on her bottom lip as she finished her sixth drink of the evening. All she'd thought about all night was this phone call.

"How is it?" Maura asked, putting the phone on speaker so Oliver could hear his mother's voice, though he didn't seem to care about anything but the bottle in his mouth.

"It's been really good." Jane paused, and Maura raised her eyebrows knowing her friend wasn't yet done. "I miss you both." Maura let her eyes drift closed as she rested her free hand on Oliver's left thigh.

"We miss you." Maura admitted, unable to put into words just how true her statement truly was.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you." Jane continued, her own eye's drifting closed as she rested all of her body weight against a wooden beam for support.

"Are you okay?" Maura wondered, aware that Jane was yet to ever really say those simple words to her. Jane nodded in response, smirking at herself when she realised Maura couldn't see her.

"I want to come home to my favourite girl and my favourite boy, that's all." It's with that statement that Maura hears the slight slur of her words.

"Are you drunk?" Maura asks with a playful smile as she opens her eyes and rolls her eyes.

"It doesn't matter; it doesn't make any of this less true." Maura's smile faded as a familiar feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to us, Maura." The silence that followed was full of deep meaning for both of the young girls.

"Come home to us." Maura blurted out, her stomach so full of butterflies she thought she was going to throw up.

"Do you feel it?" Jane wondered aloud, proud that she was finally able to ask the question she had been dying to ask for the past three months. "Please tell me you feel it too."

"Jane…"

"Tell me you feel what I feel when I touch your thigh." Jane replied, her voice far more husky than usual.

"Of course I feel it." Maura responded softly, watching Oliver get closer and closer to the end of his bottle. Jane let out a sigh of complete contentment in response.

"I'll see you tomorrow my choir girl." Was all Jane said before she hung up, leaving Maura completely breathless and unaware of what tomorrow was going to bring.

**xxxxx**

It was midday when Maura found herself perched on a chair in the kitchen, watching both Lily and Oliver navigate their way around all of the cupboards as though they owned the place.

"Be careful." Maura warned Lily as the little girl placed a plastic bowl on Oliver's head as though it were a hard hat. Jane wasn't due back until far later that afternoon, and Maura had found herself counting down the hours.

Lily seemed to get bored of playing with the little boy who couldn't respond in the ways she wanted, and before Maura knew it she and Oliver were alone in the huge kitchen.

"Did you have fun with aunty Maura?" She asked as she got down onto the floor with him, handing him a wooden spoon so he could loudly bang on a metal pot. "I'm going to take that as a yes." Maura smiled, proud that she had not only kept him alive, but kept him happy all weekend.

"I think things are about to get really different, little guy." Maura admitted, biting down on her bottom lip as she ran one of her hands gently along the length of his head, tucking in the tag on his shirt.

Oliver turned where he was sitting and manoeuvred himself into Maura's lap, pulling himself into a standing position in her lap before resting his face against hers gently. Maura couldn't hold in her giggle that filled the room when Oliver's lips mashed against her own.

"Is that your way of telling me I'm allowed to date your mama?" Maura asked playfully, moving to press kisses all over his neck and face until he squealed in happiness.

"I would say that's a yes." Jane's voice came from behind them, making Maura jump so high she nearly completely let go of the boy she was holding. "Sorry." Jane chuckled as Maura stood, her stomach full of knots as she made her way toward her best friend who happily accepted her little boy. "Oh I missed you so much." She cooed, rubbing her nose against his face before she placed him down on the ground.

"Hi." Maura smiled nervously, clearing her throat as she looked down at her bare feet nervously. Jane let out a sigh, having talked herself into being brave the whole way to Maura's house. "You weren't supposed to be back until…"

"I couldn't wait anymore." Jane admitted with an affectionate smile as she closed the space between them, each of her hands resting on Maura's hips as she licked her lips slowly. "I love you, Maura." Jane croaked before she closed what space was left between them, knowing the longer she waited the less chance she'd have to do what she had been waiting months to do.

A small whimper escaped Maura's lips as her hands moved to rest on either side of the brunettes face. The two girls melted into one another as their lips gently pressed into one another's. The soft, romantic kiss slowly deepened, Jane's fingers tightening on the hips below them as her tongue daringly traced her best friends bottom lip.

Maura made note of how soft Jane's lips felt against her own, not at all how she had imagined them to be. Jane tasted of watermelon and pure adoration, and if it were up to Maura that kiss never would have ended. If it weren't for the little boy tugging on Jane's floor length skirt, it wouldn't have, she was sure of it.

"Come here." Jane sighed as she lifted the boy to rest on her hip before she closed the gap between her and Maura again, this time with a shorter kiss. "Did you miss me?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Maura joked as she rested her forehead against Jane's, happier than she could ever recall being.

"Are you okay? With what just happened?" Jane asked as she traced her free hand along Maura's arm before moving to rest it on her lower back. Maura rolled her eyes playfully before cupping Jane's face between her hands again, leaning forward and pressing her lips harshly against the one's she'd be dreaming about for so long.

"If you ask me, it took too long to happen."

"Come stay with us tonight." Jane instructed as she laced her hand with Maura's, leading her best friend out toward her car without another word. They both needed some much needed family time.

Family time. The mere thought made Jane's heart skip a beat.

**Xxxxx**

So we're finally there! RIZZLES! I sincerely hope you enjoyed the way we built up to the moment! I just wanted to take a second to thank all of the amazing people who have followed/favourite and reviewed the story. You are, in all seriousness, the motivation that keep me writing every day.

I love you all, let me know what you think of this one! Don't worry, the story is far from over!

If you want photos to go with the story, I've been uploading some photoshopped photos to match each chapter! Go to chelseajadexo . tumblr . com tagged/and-maura-makes three

Sending you all every bit of love I have!


	8. Relief After Dark

**Please note the rating change to M!**

Maura's breath is hot against Jane's neck between each languid kiss she trails from temple to collar, her tongue flicking out over the jutted bone as Jane's head arches from the pillow.

"God, Maura..." she husks quietly, dragging her nails down the other girl's thinly covered shoulder blades.

Maura kisses her way back up the brunette's pulsing throat, shivering beneath the fingers that dip lower and under the back band of her jeans. Jane pulls at the skin of Maura's ass, urging the lilac haired girl to her lips once more.

"You really did miss me." Maura smirked against swollen lips, earning nothing but a harsh smack on her behind in response causing giggles to escape Maura's otherwise heaving chest.

"You aren't allowed to wear these jeans ever again." Jane complained with a huff as she gave up trying to manoeuvre her delicate hands underneath them.

"I promise nothing but skirts and dresses from now on." Maura smirked as she moved her mouth back the neck she had spent so many evenings dreaming of kissing. She dug her teeth harder into the olive skin, eliciting a louder moan from the writhing brunette beneath her.

"I want to touch you." Jane whispered, knotting her hands in Maura's wavy lilac hair before letting her tongue trace her lips. She tugged Maura up and back to her lips, wrapping her legs around the girl's waist and holding her against her.

"I want-" Maura stopped as she flicked her hair away from one side of her face, her heart seemingly stopping in her chest as she did so. "Oh god." She giggled awkward as she rolled off her now girlfriend.

"Wait no, why are you stopping?" Jane groaned as she rolled onto her side to look at her partner, instead meeting the eyes of her wide awake almost seven month old son, a huge smile on his sweet face. Jane felt a blush immediately rise in her cheeks. "Well that could have been VERY awkward."

"Are you going to bring him tonight?" Maura wondered as she took two deep breaths, desperately trying to calm her body down from the high it almost achieved. Jane instinctively shook her head no before she spoke.

"You and I haven't had any real one on one time lately. And Ma is dying to see him anyway." Jane was right, it was five days since their first proper kiss and they only times they had alone were when Oliver was asleep. They were both excited to spend some quality time together. "Remind me what this thing is for."

"It's just one of my mother's art things." Maura shrugged as Jane lifted the boy onto her stomach, poking her tongue out at him playfully. "We should probably get ready." Maura sighed as she noted the time on the small alarm clock beside her bed. It was mother's day, and in an attempt to make Jane have a good day Maura had organised for her father and sister to take Jane and Oliver to the park.

"I don't understand what exactly it is that you're so stressed out about." Jane admitted with a slight frown on her face as Maura helped her strap Oliver to her chest. It had only been five days since the change to the young girl's relationship, and Maura had decided it was time to tell her father and her baby sister. Her mother wouldn't care either way.

"He's my dad." Maura shrugged before pressing her lips gently to the back of Oli's head, running a hand gently down his back as she finishing strapping him against his mom's chest. Jane had told Maura that the reason she carried Oliver rather than push him around in a stroller was because she loved having him so close; she couldn't admit it was because she couldn't afford a stroller.

"But Blue Steel seems like the last person who is going to react badly." Jane added as she placed both of her hands over Oliver's back, a small smile playing on her lips as memories of resting her hands on her large pregnant stomach rushed through her brain.

"I doubt he will react badly, but telling him…" Maura stopped, taking a deep breath as she placed an extra pacifier in her purse just in case they needed it.

"It makes it real." Jane concluded with a warm smile, realising this had nothing at all to do with Maura's father.

"It's real, trust me. It's just telling him really will make everything change." Maura admitted shyly, shrugging her shoulders casually once more in an effort to seem cavalier.

"Honey, nothing has to change if you don't want it to." Jane reminded the lilac haired girl who was playing with her hands in her lap nervously. Maura rolled her eyes both at herself and her girlfriend's reaction.

"Are you saying you _don't_ want to date me?!" Maura asked with a voice full of faux fear. Jane chuckled as she shook her head. The brunette scrunched her nose as she cupped Maura's face in her hands, closing what little space was left between them. Maura sighed into the sweet kiss while she placed one hand on Jane's hip and the other on the little boy between them.

"Technically neither of us has actually asked that million dollar question." Jane realised aloud as she placed two more quick kisses on the lips before her. "Whatever are we going to do about that?"

"Jane?" Maura started, her tongue tracing her own lips in an effort to relieve them from the desire to press against every inch of Jane's skin.

"Yes, my dear?" Jane asked with a small, innocent smile on her face as though she had no idea what was coming.

"Date me." Her words came out far more of a demand than a request. Maura never was good at the asking out part of all of this. "No I didn't mean that, I mean, would you, I mean, can we, would you like to…"

"Yours." Jane interrupted, saving the girl before her from having a small panic attack as she pressed the tip of her index finger against the shorter girl's nose.. "I'm yours." Jane added, again cupping Maura's face in an effort to force the girl to look at her.

The sound of Lily running up the stairs made them both separate regrettably, Jane going back to shoving an extra set of clothes for Oliver into the baby bag.

"What's that?" Maura asked with a small frown as Lily entered the room holding a bouquet of flowers, Lily pulling the flowers out of her sisters reach.

"They aren't for you." Lily said matter-of-factly as she handed them to Jane, both of the girl's eyebrows rising in confusion.

"You got me flowers?" Jane asked as her tilted her head to the left slightly.

"A delivery man dropped them off." Lily shrugged as she held her arms up to Maura, silently begging to be picked up. Jane read the small white card that was sitting in the centre of the flowers.

"_You _got me flowers?" Jane tried to clarify as she looked up at her best friend who looked just as confused as the brunette. Maura shook her head as she closed the space between them, taking the card between her fingers.

"How did your six month old send you flowers?" Maura asked as she looked down at the little boy who had fallen asleep against his mother's chest. "Maybe your mother…"

"It wasn't my mother." Jane sighed as she looked over the card once more, only noticing the small signature in the bottom left corner of the white palm card.

"Happy first mother's day, love Oliver.

-C"

**xxxxx**

"I didn't think Casey was involved in Oliver's life at all, or in yours." Maura sighs, pushing her sister on the swing. Jane runs a hand through her straightened hair, glancing back to see Alexander playing effortlessly with her son.

"He's not, he didn't want to be." Jane sighs.

"But you wanted him to be."

It comes out harsher than Maura had intended, worrying a pink lip between her teeth.

"Of course I wanted him to be, Maura," Jane confesses. "I- I was in... he's Oliver's father and of course I wanted him around. I never thought I could do this by myself."

Maura doesn't expect the words to hurt so much, she's not mad at Jane, she's mad at Casey for reappearing; and yet she's mad at him for disappearing in the first place. What if Jane sees Casey and then everything is still there, where does that leave Maura?

"How did he know where I lived?"

"I don't know, Maura, but I'll fix it, okay? I promise I'll fix it." Maura softens at Jane's sincerity, urging her mind to calm.

"Hey, little moo, would you mind going to check on Oliver and Daddy for us? Just make sure they're not doing silly boy things." Maura urges, slowing the swing so Lily can jump free.

The two women watch the tiny blonde run away and into her father's arms, turning to one another with solemn looks. Maura crosses her arms over her chest, looking away from the brunette, kicking bark with the toe of her boot.

"C'mere." Jane whispers, taking a step towards her lilac haired girlfriend. "I'm still in if you're still in." she breathes as she pulls Maura into her arms, her eyes closing at the complete comfort and warmth her girlfriend offered. The smaller woman sniffles lightly, burying her face in Jane's shoulder and breathing her in.

"I love you." Maura sighs, allowing her lips to brush the brunette's neck with each syllable. "I love you and I love Oliver too, I'm still in."

Jane smiles softly, ghosting her lips over Maura's forehead before pulling away. She links her hand with the smaller woman's, crossing the park with her to the most important men in their lives.

"Maurey!" Lily calls, meeting them half way. "They _were_ doing silly boy things." she exasperates, pulling a disgusted face.

Jane and Maura laugh, following her the rest of the way as she skips ahead. When they reach the grass by Alexander and Oliver they both sit, hand in hand so that Jane's thumb may graze the smaller woman's knuckles reassuringly.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah baby." Alexander smiles, passing Oliver back to his mother without any concern over the physical closeness of the two girls.

"Jane and I wanted to talk to you about something." Maura replies as she fiddles with their hands still conjoined in her lap.

"I'm sure you do," Alexander smirked as Lily placed herself happily in his lap, leaning her head back against his toned chest.

"We're like…"

"Why are you so bad at this stuff?" Jane asks with a chuckle as she rolled her eyes, looking directly at her girlfriend's father before she spoke again. "We're dating."

"I know." Alexander chuckled as he placed a hand on Maura's thigh, forcing her to look up at him. "I know." He repeated, knowing all Maura needed was to know that her father supported her unconditionally.

"I don't know why you were so nervous about this." Jane told her girlfriend with a warm smile. Maura shrugged casually as she picked at stray pieces of grass beneath her crossed legs.

"Is it because of what happened last time?" Alexander asked with a supportive expression all over his face. Maura again, shrugged. "Don't do that."

"Yeah, it's because of last time." Maura clarified for her father. The older man nodded slowly, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth before he explained to Jane what she was missing.

"The last time Maura told me she was dating a girl, I did not deal with it very well." He explained, causing Jane's eyebrows to rise in surprise.

"But you two seem so close." Jane notes as she places Oliver in her girlfriends lap.

"I wasn't always so open minded." Alexander admits as Lily pulls on his hand, suddenly seeming to have the energy to go back and play on the swing set. The older man stands, slowly followed by the two younger girls. "But it's not like that anymore." He reminds Maura as he presses his lips against her head.

"Thank you." Maura breathes as she nuzzles her face against his scratchy face.

"Welcome to the family sweetheart." He said to Jane as he pulled her into a bear hug, pressing his lips to her head in the exact same way he had done to his daughter.

**xxxxxx**

"Is it going to become like… a thing that I have to go to these things?" Jane asked as she fiddled with the tight black dress that was riding up her thighs as she climbed out of Maura's large, now completely familiar, Jeep. Maura smiled apologetically at her now partner as she handed her car keys to the valet.

"I had an ulterior motive bringing you with me tonight." Maura admitted quietly as she laced her fingers with Jane's, earning a suspicious look from the dark haired girl beside her. With her free hand Maura rummaged through the small bag that was hanging from her shoulder. She pulled out the invitation card and let out a quiet sigh before handing it to her girlfriend. "But yes, this is part of the package when it comes to dating me."

"The Daisy Chain?" Jane scoffed, ignoring Maura's statement about art galleries being part of her package. Jane knew she'd take it all a million times over if it meant falling asleep beside her every night. It never ceased to amuse her how ridiculous rich people were. Who names an art gallery 'The Daisy Chain'?

"You aren't putting the pieces together fast enough." Maura giggled as Jane pushed the small white card back into the purse it was removed from, her brow creased as she tried to decipher if Maura's comment was an insult of not.

"Maura?" Jane felt the hair on the back of her neck stand at the vaguely familiar voice. The dark haired girl tightened her grasp on their joined hands as they both turned toward the sound.

"Hi." Maura smiled politely as Daisy quickly pecking the same girl from the Café on the lips before walking toward the two girls who wanted nothing to do with her.

"How are you?" Daisy asked as she pressed her lips against Maura's cheek, her lips lingering against the soft skin far too long for Jane's liking.

"Really good, my mother has out done herself." Maura concluded as she looked at the art spread around the walls, her eyes setting on a photograph of herself in the backyard, her lilac hair shining brightly in the dim sunlight.

"She really has. You seem to be a main feature this year." Daisy smiles, and Maura knows that her words are intended to cause pain.

"We're a lot closer, so I'm not surprised." Maura lies as Jane softly traces her hand with her thumb in the most supportive way she could. "You remember Jane."

"Of course." Daisy smirked as she extended a hand in the brunette's direction where she was met with nothing but a stony smile. "Where's your daughter?" Daisy asked with a small frown on her face.

"He's with my mother." Jane replied coldly, her heart sinking at the mere mention of her son. Daisy pursed her lips, nodding slowly as a photographer walked up to them.

"Can I grab a photo please?" He asked from behind his camera as all three of the girls stood closer together than Jane had ever anticipated bright smiles on all of their faces.

"Here." Jane smiled as she licked her lips, turning her back to the perfect stranger as she pressed her lips against Maura's, the light flashing behind their closed eyes telling them he had taken the photo they were both sure was going to get them in trouble.

"Oh! Mrs. Isles! Can I get a photo of you with the young girls please?"

"Maura darling, why don't you and I get a photograph of just the two of us." Jane smiled at the floor at her girlfriend's mother's attempt of being subtle about excluding her.

"Jane is my partner." Maura pointed out blankly, her grip tightening on the brunette's hand when Jane tried to slip out of the photograph.

"I would really prefer if she wasn't involved."

"Oh for crying out loud." Alexander's voice came from behind them suddenly as he walked forward and handed Lily to his wife. "Move," he instructed her as he wrapped an arm around Jane's waist and got a photo with his daughter and her girlfriend.

"Can we go walk around now?" Maura asked her dad sweetly as she stood on her tip toes to press her lips to his scruffy face. She had never loved the older man more than she did in that moment.

"Go." He smiled as he moved to press his lips to Jane's cheek causing smiles to break out on both of the girl's faces. She was wrong, she could love him more

"That was…" Jane started, a playfully frown on her face as she realised there were next to no words to describe how uncomfortable that had been.

"I'm sorry she did that. Let's just try and have a good time."

"Agreed." Jane smiles, sliding her and into Maura's.

The girls wander the gallery for half an hour, stopping at each of the pieces, disappearing into the occasional corridor for a quick kiss or two. They're kissing by a watercolour painting of Maura in a yoga pose when Alexander breaks them apart.

"I think you two should go home." he grunts, throwing a sideward glance towards Constance. "Try not to let her see you, alright?"

** xxxxx**

"Would you like a snack?" Maura smiles, skirting around the bench tops as she rifles through the cupboards.

Jane watches her move, fluid and sexy as fuck in her tight dress, bare feet padding against the linoleum. She's got her finger dipped into a jar of peanut butter as Jane reaches for her, playing with the fabric ruffled at Maura's hip.

"I asked if you wanted a snack, Jane." Maura giggles, leaning into the touch.

"I take it you're on the menu as well." Jane breathes, dipping to kiss Maura's neck.

Maura turns in Jane's arms, sucking the last of the peanut butter from her fingertip, before winding her hands through Jane's hair.

"I like it straightened," she hums. "It's beautiful. But it makes you look a little tame."

Jane pulls back from the smaller woman, raising her eyebrow teasingly.

"Tame?" she scoffs. "You don't even like tame."

"Maybe not, but I like you."

Maura captures Jane's lips, running her tongue along the brunette's bottom lip. Jane tastes like the wine from the exhibit, full and rich, strangely sweet.

"I want you." she confesses, wrapping her fingers around Jane's wrist.

Jane presses her forehead to Maura's, lilac and black tresses curling into one another, as she watches Maura push her hand under the hem of her too short dress. Jane trails her fingers between soft thighs; her other and finding purchase on Maura's hip, until she reaches bare and heated flesh.

"Jesus, Maura!"

Jane moves to pull her hand away, quickly met by pressure from her girlfriend's to stay.

"Didn't you wonder why there wasn't a panty line beneath my dress? Lord knows you couldn't stop looking at me in it."

Jane chuckles, shaking her head in the crook of Maura's shoulder.

"Are you sure?" she whispers, letting her breath ghost across milky skin.

"Yes." Maura promises. "Please, Jane."

Jane runs her fingers back up the length of Maura's leg, burying her face in the woman's sweet smelling neck. She groans at the sensation of Maura against her fingers, velvet wetness, she can't help sliding her fingers through it.

Maura releases a drawn out moan, her head tipping back so that lilac waves hover above the countertop. She bucks her hips as Jane's fingers skim across her clit, drawing the brunette's attention back to where she needs it most.

"Maura, I've never-"

"I know," the smaller woman pants, "I know, but god please don't stop."

Jane's hand trembles as she pushes just her fingertips inside, feeling her knees go weak with the mingling of pleasure and anxiety, allowing Maura time to refuse her. When refusal doesn't come she holds Maura's hip tighter, sliding her fingers painfully slow inside the woman who is warm around her, feeling her own underwear grow damp at the sensations around her.

"Are you okay?" Maura forces through gritted teeth, softness in her voice lost against dry lips.

"I don't know what I'm doing." Jane panics, attempting to remove her fingers.

Maura twitches at the feel of Jane inside her, following the woman's hand with her hips.

"I need you," Maura breathes, "Just like that. I trust you."

Jane bites her lip as she moves her fingers inside the lilac haired girl, encouraged by Maura's firm grip on her shoulders. She tries to think about what she likes, how she likes to be touched, awkwardly moving her thumb to graze across Maura's clit. Maura bucks towards her again in response, letting a low moan echo across the kitchen. Jane does it again, and again, and again after that until she feels confident enough to move inside Maura as she does it.

"Jane..."

It drags out on the tongue that darts across her lips, humming lowly as Jane sucks the pulsing flesh on her neck. Jane quivers at the sound of her name, moving faster inside Maura as she continues her slow circles against the smaller woman's clit. Maura is slick against her fingers, soft and warm and inviting, everything is pulling her to keep going. Maura winds a leg around Jane's, desperately craving the friction of their bodies until Jane's fingers curl inside her.

Jane here's every syllable of Maura's pleasure in her ears as the woman's face buries in her hair, full of heavy breaths and too hot whispers.

"God, Jane, that was-"

"Maura Isles, I'd like a word."

Both women stop at the familiar voice, each of their bodies tensing into one another's.

"_Now_."

Jane tries to be gentle as she removes her body from Maura's, nervously helping her girlfriend pull down the bunched up dress as she steps away.

Constance stands in the entryway, her face conveying emotions that Jane cannot even begin to name – all of them bad.

"Jane, I'd like for you to wait for me in my room."

"But-"

"Please." Maura stresses, shooting the brunette a reassuring look.

Neither of the Isles women move until the sound of Maura's upstairs bedroom echoes down. Constance takes heavy and precise steps towards the kettle, allowing it to boil as she fetches things for her tea.

"I will not have another Daisy in my house Maura." she commands.

"Jane is not Daisy, if you just took a day to get to know her, to know _me_, you would be able to see that."

"I'm not talking about Jane." she bites back. "I'm talking about you!"

Maura flushes red with anger, clenching her fists against the bench.

"I will not be made a spectacle, Maura. Especially not by my own daughter."

"Your daughter?" Maura laughs sarcastically, taking a step towards her mother. "Your daughter? I don't even remember the last time I was _your _daughter."

Constance drops the contents of her mug on the bench, turning swiftly in her daughter's direction.

"Regardless of what you or I or anyone else wants to think you are my daughter, but you're definitely not the daughter I chose to love, you're not the daughter on the walls of that gallery."

Maura parts her lips to retort, feeling only tears burn at the corners of her eyes.

"Maybe that's not the daughter that I want to be." she breathes. "But I will not compromise myself for your public image. You wouldn't even take a photo with Jane tonight."

"Jane isn't my daughter and she isn't family."

"Jane is more family to me than you have ever been, and god knows she's a better mother!"

Maura doesn't see the slap coming, recoiling as it comes hard across her face, leaving a stinging handprint across her cheek. When she looks back, Constance is just as shocked as she is; but her demeanour wins over, straightening her clothes as she turns back to her tea.

"Think about what you're doing Maura, to me, to yourself, and let's not forget what you're doing to Jane. Contrary to what you may think, you're not ready to be a parent to her little boy, you've got a lot of growing up to do young lady. Don't make the same mistakes I did. And darling, if I ever catch you in a position so compromising again I'll be sure to make it so that Lily isn't under your ridiculous influence any further, do you hear me?" 

** Xxxxxx**

Jane could hear the screaming between mother and daughter from the level below as it echoed through the house. Maura had driven Jane here, and she knew that there was no escaping.

"Ohhhh god." Jane whispered into the large bedroom as she sat cross legged in the centre of her girlfriend's bed, desperately trying to calm her instincts that told her to just run home.

"Hey, you." Alexander said as he suddenly walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him in an effort to block out some of the incessant screaming.

"Hi." Jane replied with a forced smile, surprised by how relieved she was to see her girlfriend's father. Alexander pulled a small box out from under the bed before he sat beside her, sliding his dress shoes off so he could too cross his legs.

"You're going to love this." He warned her with a smirk as he opened the small wooden box.

"Oh my god!" Jane exclaimed excitedly as she yanked the first photograph he pulled out of the box out of his hands, examining the young blonde girl before her carefully. "Is that really her?!"

"That would be her." Alexander confirmed with a chuckle and a nod as they both looked down at the image of a baby Maura crawling all over her father.

"Look at her curls!" Jane laughed, completely taken back by how different her girlfriend appeared. "Is she wearing an Alice In Wonderland costume?"

"I had to fight every night for two months to get that thing off her." Alexander replied as he shook his head, a warm smile on his face at the memory of his little girl.

"She was so sweet." Jane points out as she allows her thumb to gently trace over one of the black and white photographs, her eyes widening at a photo of Maura and her mother.

"She was the happiest little girl." Alexander agreed as he pulled another black and white photograph out from the small pile, handing it to Jane so she could get a glimpse into a part of Maura's life she hadn't truly shared with her yet.

Before her sat a young Maura Isles sitting beside her mother, both of them not looking overly impressed by whatever situation they were in. Maura could have only been two years old in the photograph.

"How long… When did you adopt her?" Jane asked curiously as the sound of one last scream echoed from downstairs followed by an eerie silence.

"Since she was a newborn." Maura's father told her reluctantly, both of them recognising they were heading toward unsafe waters.

"Why didn't you have your own?" Jane asked, the mere thought of anyone else raising her son making a slight sick feeling rise in her stomach.

"Maura is ours."

"I'm sorry, that's not… I didn't… Of course she is I just…"

"Jane it's okay." Alexander replied calmly, "I just think that is something you need to speak with Maura about."

"Do they fight like this a lot?" Jane asked as she placed the photograph back down, wondering suddenly if black and white baby photos were an artist thing. She couldn't think of any black and white photos she had of her son. "I don't want to come between them."

"Oh trust me, this isn't about you. Not really." Just as the words left the older man's mouth a teary, red faced Maura walked into the room. She was caught off guard by the sight of her father sitting with her girlfriend, a lump rising in her throat as she noted the baby photos.

"You were the absolute cutest baby girl ever." Jane said quietly as Maura took a place on the bed between Jane and Alexander.

"Maura.." The blonde's father began as he reached a hand forward to stroke her cheek, noting the red handprint that had already begun to form. Without another word, he was gone, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

"I am so, so sorry." Maura whispered as she looked down at the pictures, quickly shoving them all back in the box. Without saying a word, Jane took the box and tossed it on the floor, pushing the blonde's shoulders back so she was lying flat on her back.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jane asked as she moved to cuddle into her girlfriend's side, pressing light kisses to the fragile girl's temple. When she was met with quiet silence she knew tonight wasn't the night to push for information.

"The first time we fuck and my mother catches us." Maura points out as she lets out a long breath, an uncontrollable giggle escaping her mouth.

"We can have a do-over if you'd like." Jane smirked, nuzzling her nose into her girlfriend's neck. The brunette let out a quiet squeal when Maura suddenly jumped on top of her, pulling her shirt over her head and crashing their lips together.


	9. All I Want

"Make him stop." Jane begged as she pulled all of her dark hair back into a messy pony tail, the sound of her sons screams echoing through the bedroom.

"He'll tire himself out soon." Maura promised quietly as she traced her hand along her girlfriends back in the most comforting manor she could. The two girls were supposed to be in the car heading to Maura's parent's lake house, but getting Jane to leave her son with anyone but Maura for a whole weekend was proving extremely difficult.

"I've never heard him cry like this before." Jane sighed as she began biting down on her nails; looking around her mother's bedroom for anything to distract her.

"It's just separation anxiety because he loves you so much, he's okay. Maybe we should leave." Maura's encouragement was met with nothing but a shaking head and apologetic eyes. There was no way Jane was leaving until she knew he was asleep and okay.

"You're being stupid." Angela announced as she walked into the bedroom, placing a washing basket full of dried clothes on the mattress beside the girls. "You shouldn't have gotten him into the habit of sleeping where he can see you at all times."

"So it's _my _fault he's screaming the house down." Jane's words came out sounding far more like a revelation than an accusation toward her mother.

"It's not your fault." Maura whispered as she placed affectionate kisses to the brunettes flushed cheek. It was obvious Jane was doing everything in her power not to burst into tears.

"Why are you still here?" Tommy asked curiously as he paced into the room, looking at his sister and her partner with confused eyes.

"Hey, while we _are_ still here I need to ask you something." Jane started as she got up and closed the bedroom door in an effort to drain out some of the noise coming from her bedroom. "I got flowers from Casey last week."

"Of course you did." Angela scoffed, throwing the underwear from the washing basket to the drawer before her with a surprise amount of force. "Walks away from you when you have his baby and then sends you flowers. I am not even remotely surprised, Jane. What were you thinking getting pregnant-"

"Okay there is no point in us having that argument again. The flowers were delivered to Maura's, Ma." The new piece of information thrown at her made the older Italian stop what she was doing.

"I'm sorry sweetheart." Angela frowned as she wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulder, holding the lilac haired girl against her side. "Why did you give him her address?"

"No that's my point, I didn't." Jane replied honestly, placing one of her hands over her heart. "I haven't heard from him since before Oli was born."

"Wait, he hasn't even _seen _him?" Maura asked, completely taken back . Jane nodded slowly, her heart feeling as though it was going to break straight out of her chest at the thought.

"Yes he has." Tommy replied quietly from the bed behind them, causing all three women to turn in the younger boy's direction. Jane felt rage grow in her bones before her brother even confessed what he'd done. "He came into work; I didn't know what to do."

"What happened?" Angela asked as she moved from Maura's side to clip the back of her sons head with her hand.

"He uh, asked how you were doing." Tommy started, looking directly at his sister as he spoke. "And he asked if you kept Oliver…" Jane felt the tears burning behind her eyes before they slowly began to trickle down her face.

"Did you tell him his name?" Tommy merely nodded in response to Jane's question.

"He asked to see a photo too." Maura let out a quiet sigh, suddenly feeling extremely threatened and extremely protective all at once. "I just showed him your Instagram."

"There are photos of all three of us on your page." Maura realised aloud, all the pieces slowly coming together.

"But how did he know your address?" Jane added as she wiped a stray tear off of her cheek as she realised this was the first time she'd cried over Casey since Maura came into her life.

"The paper; we were in the paper." Maura realised, remember the photograph of Jane, her father and herself at her mother's art exhibition.

"So it's your fault." Tommy sighed in relief. It took all of one second for Jane to lean forward and push him off the side of the bed.

"Did he say how long he was in Boston for?" Jane asked as she leant over the edge of the bed to look at her brother who was rubbing the side of his head from the floor.

"He gave me his number." Tommy groaned as he rose to his feet, leaving the room to go get the business card Casey had left with him.

"I guess our trips off." Maura interjected quietly, forcing the bravest smile she possibly could in Jane's direction as she stared down at the phone number her brother handed her.

"What? No." Jane snapped back quickly, shoving the card into her jeans front pocket before she stood up, taking a deep breath and revelling in the quiet that indicated her son was finally asleep.

"You still want to go?" Maura asked; hope shining through in her voice as she spoke. Jane merely rolled her eyes as she pulled her girlfriend into a standing position.

"I'll call you tomorrow to check on him, Ma." Jane reminded her mother as she placed a kiss to the warm older woman's face. "Thanks for doing this for me."

**xxxx**

"Before we go in, we need to talk about it." Maura told her girlfriend as she turned her Jeep off outside of her parents beautiful lake house. The lilac haired girl didn't need to clarify what she was talking about; Jane knew. She let out a quiet sigh, knowing fine well there was no way Maura was going to let their romantic weekend begin until this conversation was out of the way.

"When I told Casey I was pregnant, he told me he didn't want it. He was always going to be in the army and me being pregnant was never going to stop that. So he left." Jane told her girlfriend from the passenger seat.

"He didn't even stick around to find out if you kept him?" Maura asked, fiddling with her hands in her lap as she spoke.

"He knew I planned on seeing the pregnancy through to the end. I wrote him a letter and put it in his mom's letterbox when I decided." Jane replied honestly, her stomach twisting in knots at the conversation.

"Did you know he was still in Boston?"

"I didn't know where he was." Jane sighed, running a hand through her hair that was now down and flowing by her shoulders.

"So you didn't know he was going to show up?"

"Maura, all I knew was that he wanted nothing to do with me or our baby. He left us without any hesitation so no; I didn't know he was going to just show up." Jane snapped, growing inpatient at the questions being thrown at her.

"Maybe you should call him." Maura suggested, flinching as she waited for the verbal assault she was sure she was about to get in response.

"All I want right now is to walk into that house, make you dinner and cover your body in kisses. Can we do that? Please Maura." Jane asked, taking a deep breath to calm the emotions that were rushing through her.

"You want to be with me." Maura smiled, looking down into her lap as she pulled the lake house keys out of her skirts pocket.

"Of course I want to… Hey, look at me." Jane paused, turning her whole body in her seat so she could clearly see her girlfriends face. "This is exactly where I want to be." Jane promised, taking one of Maura's hands and pressing her lips against the soft skin.

Maura is still smiling as they step from the car, holding hands as they walk up the pebbled driveway carrying a few bags of groceries.

"Jesus, Maur, why are your homes big enough to house a zoo?"

"I don't think any of my homes would be appropriate for a slew of animals, Jane," the lilac haired girl chuckles, shutting the large wooden door behind them.

"How about a dog?" Jane wonders aloud.

"Oh! I should let Bear in."

"You should what now?" Jane asked with wide eyes as her girlfriend paced toward the large French doors that opened onto the back porch. Maura's loud whistle echoed through the hous and before Jane knew what was happening, a large golden retreiever was jumping all over her girlfriend, covering her in kisses.

"Bear." Maura pointed out, kissing the top of the dogs head. "Why did you want to know whether or not I wanted a dog at some point in future?" Maura hums, her face obscured behind the refrigerator door as she moves to put away the groceries. Jane shrugs even though Maura can't see her, picking at some loose string on her tank top before running her hands through Bear's soft coat.

"I like knowing stuff about you." Jane admits shyly. "I've always wanted a few dogs, two or three maybe and God don't tell my Ma, but I used to have this dream about a blue kind of wood panelled house in the suburbs." Maura smiles as she puts away the vegetables, constantly surprised by how her girlfriend can get so soft with her.

"A blue house would be nice," Maura agrees as she pictures the discrete home in her mind. "Is that what you'd like our house to look like?"

Maura pauses with celery in her hand, blushing furiously at her slip as silence fills the spaces between them. Jane is a little taken back but cannot help the way a smile tugs at the corner of her lips.

"Yeah," she hums sweetly as she walks up behind her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around the tense body before her. "Our house."

"It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Maura smiles as her eyes drift closed, the open fridge sending cold air to her body, though it didn't matter when she had Jane's body against her own.

"Why do I get the feeling we aren't going to anything slowly?" Jane asked through a quiet chuckle as Maura let her head fall back and rest on the shoulder behind her. Maura merely sighed contently before she placed the celery into the crisper, closing the refrigerators door.

"We didn't start dating for a long time." Maura pointed out as Jane moved to rest against the marble top kitchen island.

"It's really cold in here." Jane sighed as she rubbed each of her arms in an effort to warm herself up.

"Bed and a movie?" Maura suggested as she pulled a packet of marshmallows out of the last remaining grocery bag.

A mere half an hour later and the two young college girls found themselves tucked in under the blankets in the main bedroom, the taller of the two girls nuzzling her face into her girlfriends neck.

"You're so warm." Jane sighed contently while Maura pressed play on the remote control, the intro to _Finding Nemo_ playing quietly. "A kids movie, really?" Jane chuckled, knowing the movie without having to look up.

"It's my favourite." Maura replied quietly as she placed soft kisses to the top of her girlfriends head. "Can I ask you something?"

"You know you can." Jane replied as she pulled back enough to be able to look Maura in the eye.

"If I, hypothetically, wanted to rent an apartment…" Maura started, butterflies filling her stomach as she spoke. "Would you consider leaving the dorms?"

"And live with you?" Jane clarified, a lump growing in the bottom of her throat when Maura nodded shyly. Jane could see how sick with nerves her girlfriend was feeling, and in an attempt to lighten the mood, made a joke. "So you want to U-Haul. You're turning me into a full-fledged lesbian Maura."

"Don't pretend you don't like it." Maura giggled, covering Jane's face and neck in kisses. "I'm serious though. Live with me."

"Are you sure about this?" Jane asked as she chewed on her bottom lip, surprised by the fact that all she wanted to do was say yes. There was no need to think about it for the brunette. "You'd have Oliver around all the time."

"Exactly." Maura smiled affectionately, Jane's heart swelling to twice its size at the response.

"Let's do it." Jane concluded as they both broke out into huge smiles before Maura threw the blanket they were tucked into off their bodies.

"I love you." She murmured before she pressed her lips against Jane's over and over again.

**xxxx**

When Jane awoke the next morning she was instantly aware of her surroundings. She let out a quiet sigh of completely bliss as she let herself bathe in all the positive emotions she was feeling. The brunette turned her head slightly to the left and immediately saw her girlfriends sleeping face.

For the first time since they'd known each other, Maura hadn't taken her make up off before they fell asleep. Jane felt a small smile play on her lips as she noted the mascara that had smudged across her girlfriend's eyes during her sleep. Her red lipstick had faded but was still noticeable on the lips Jane loved to kiss so much. Maura Isles was pure beauty, even fast asleep with yesterday's make up all over her face.

Jane slowly began to shuffle herself toward her edge of the bed, standing carefully in an effort not to wake her sleeping beauty.

"Jane?" Maura asked in a husky, sleepy voice. A small frown played on Jane's face at the fact she'd been caught out.

"Good morning." Jane replied quietly as she sat back down on the edge of the bed while Maura sat up and ran her hands through her messy locks. "I was just going to have a shower."

"Can I come?" Maura asked, rubbing both of her eyes and groaning when she noted the black smudges her movements left on her hands.

"Really? Like… into the shower? Together Naked?"

"We can wear our bathing suits if you'd like." Maura joked as she looked across at her girlfriend with sleepy eyes. Jane felt knots grow in her stomach, though she accepted her girlfriends offer none the less.

"I have to warn you about something." Jane started when Maura stripped out of her clothes in the bathroom with no hesitation. "You know that flat stomach you always feel under my shirt?"

"Mmmhm." Maura voiced as she stood in front of Jane wearing nothing but a pair of pink lace underwear.

"Yeah well, I didn't push Oliver out of my vagina." It took Maura all of two seconds to understand what her girlfriend was hinting at.

"You have a C-section scar." Jane nodded as she pulled her shirt over her head, Maura's eyes scanning the perfectly toned abdomen in front of her and seeing no scar.

"Just… don't flip out okay?" Maura rolled her eyes but nodded a promise anyway before Jane removed her sweatpants and pushed her underwear down far enough to show the dark pink scar.

"That's why you haven't gotten naked for me yet?" Maura questioned as she reached a hand out to touch the scar that slightly jutted out of her girlfriend's body.

"Maybe." Jane frowned, not sure how to interpret Maura's reaction. The shorter girl got down onto her knees and placed one sweet kiss in the centre of the scar Jane carried around as a constant reminder of her son before she rose to her feet and looked her directly in the eye

"You don't hate it?"Jane sighs.

"No, not at all. Do you?"

Jane shakes her head swiftly, feeling Maura's fingers intertwine with her own.

"No, I don't hate it. But I do wish it wasn't there sometimes. It's a nice reminder though, it reminds me of where Oliver came from, where this me came from; the me that is so glad you love me."

Maura listens to the way her girlfriend's voice crackles with emotion, pressing her lips to Jane's in a flutter before leading the brunette to the bathroom. When the two women step under the lukewarm spray the awkwardness between their naked bodies disappears, olive and cream skin moulding together from front to back. Maura wraps her arms around Jane's middle from behind, resting her cheek against the brunette's spine, so that her fingers may toy with the newly revealed scar. She is gentle along its raised edges, only tenderness at her fingertips.

"You don't have to be so gentle with me." Jane breathes, turning in the smaller woman's arms. "You're not hurting me."

Maura doesn't respond as she reaches for the sponge, wringing it out in her grasp. She trails it along Jane's abdomen and between the valley of still full breasts, grazing along her defined olive toned collar before Jane catches her hand.

"Mm." Jane hums, turning Maura's body so that her breasts rest against the lilac haired girl's shoulder blades.

She reaches for the shampoo, squirting a glob onto her palm so that she can massage it into the woman's scalp. Maura leans into the touch, groaning lowly in satisfaction as Jane's fingers run along her neck.

"That feels really nice." she mumbles.

Jane smiles, continuing her lather for a few minutes more. She puts her hand over Maura's eyes as she pulls the smaller woman beneath the spray to rinse, not missing the girl's giggle as she does so.

"I can protect my own eyes." Maura smiles, turning her face in time to catch the brunette's shrug.

"Just habit I guess." Maura moves her hand to Jane's cheek, pulling their lips together softly.

"We should go."

**xxxx**

It's late afternoon by the time they make it down to the farmer's market; almost a full day of traversing the sights and small town, not to mention a drawn out whining match with Jane about whether or not Maura could make eggplant with their dinner.

The sun is still hot against their skin, highlighting the muscles in Jane's bare arms as she walks ahead with Bear trotting along at her side.

"I love it here." the brunette admits, throwing her head back in Maura's direction.

Maura smiles softly, shifting the loose bag on her shoulder.

"We'll have to come here more often then." she suggests.

Jane waits with her as they pass an apple stall, catching Maura's cool hand in her own before they continue their walk. Everything smells fresh and crisp as they pass, only a few locals purchasing the goods to surround them with quiet chatter about what's in season. Jane pulls away curiously a few times to look suspiciously at the fruits and vegetables, occasionally returning with one or two items that interest her until Maura reminds her that they're only away for one more night.

Bear barks at their side, wagging his tail at another passing dog, receiving a light pat on the head from Jane.

"It really is perfect, isn't it?" Maura mumbles, resting her head on Jane's shoulder as they walk.

"You're perfect." Jane whispers. "And yeah, this place is pretty great but I wouldn't love it half as much without you."

Maura kisses the smooth skin of Jane's forearm, sighing as they reach the end of the market.

"Think this will be enough?" Jane asks, holding up two brown paper bags. Maura nods as they continue to walk, the breeze and hum of the market around them taking them both in.

**xxxx**

"To a day not nearly long enough." Maura smiles, clinking her wine glass with Jane's.

"To us." the brunette corrects, lifting the glass to her lips with a small smirk.

Maura watches the pink tinged liquid bubble down Jane's elongated throat, admiring the way the sun catches the fabric of her light jumper. The sunset is sending colours of amber and gold across the clear water beneath the pier while they sit and the breeze remains just cool enough to allow their skin relief. Jane's toes tread the water as their bodies lean side by side, echoing each other's warmth.

"I'd be happy staying here forever." Maura whispers across the water. "With you and Oliver of course, and Lily if I ever could."

Jane softens at the confession, setting her glass down against the worn wood and turning her face to Maura's. The lilac haired girl has her eyes closed and head dipped back in reverie, humming pleasure as Jane's fingers wind in hers.

"We never did talk about the other day..." Jane states, taking on a more serious tone as she remembers the harsh mark left across her girlfriend's cheek.

"Don't spoil this day, Jane, please." Maura begs with her eyes closed, willing Jane to let it be until she has time to process what had happened fully on her own. Jane squeezes her hand tightly for a moment, obeying the request before they return to silence.

There are birds across the lake, all other houses shielded by clusters of evergreens and their own private gardens. The sun is low enough to leave a glow across their world, everything a little more orange than usual, everything peaceful as the grey and starry night begins to set in.

"It's still so warm." Maura huffs suddenly, blowing a stray curl from her face. "Why don't we go swimming?"

Jane laughs lightly as Maura pulls from her grasp, standing in the same white lace sundress she'd been wearing the day that they met all those months ago. She's a vision in that ivory cotton and Jane can't pull her eyes away from the breeze that pulls her hair along the sky, its lilac shade blending with the sunset until she becomes it.

"Our bathers are inside."

"I don't think we'll need them, Jane."

Jane's mouth opens as she watches Maura back to the pier edge, unclasping two of the low buttons at her chest to reveal the tops of rounded breasts, bringing a hand to her eyes to block the remaining sun's glare. Maura lifts the dress over her head, throwing it behind the lean of Jane's body with a smile.

"Maur," Jane growls playfully. "What the hell are you doing?"

Maura winks in the brunette's direction, turning on the spot. Jane studies the woman's simple lavender bra and black floral panties before they're blurred by swift movement as Maura dives into the water. She sits up straighter as Maura's body emerges, wet lilac hair clinging down Maura's neck as she swims out deeper. When she turns Jane has elbows rested on her knees, toes still treading water as she watches droplets of clear water roll down Maura's freckled shoulders.

Maura kicks her legs to keep afloat as she reaches behind her back, unclasping her bra and pulling it from her flesh. Jane's mouth parts further at the sight of her girlfriend bobbing slightly in the slow moving current, narrowly missing the wet fabric that flies past her head and onto the pier. She swallows roughly as Maura curls a finger in her direction, beckoning her to join.

"Jesus, Maura." Jane husks, pulling herself to her feet as Maura's panties join her other discarded garments.

Jane pulls off her sweater, tugging the tight denim shorts down her thighs, until she stands in just her tank top and underwear. She can feel the blush across her body, searching hesitantly for any passers by before she feels confident enough to shed her remaining items.

Maura loses her breath at the sight of Jane on the pier, her olive skin luminescent in the disappearing sun, deciding that she looks almost ethereal.

Jane dives into the water so warm it surprises her, swimming to Maura's open arms. Maura studies her face, spattered with drops of water that gather at her chin. She reaches for Jane's cheek, winding the tips of her fingers into the hair that stems from the brunette's temple, so that she can pull their lips together. Maura tastes of the sweet champagne they'd been drinking, her lips full and wet and beckoning Jane's tongue to pass them. When it does they both sigh relief, their bodies relaxing into the water, as their tongues explore one another's mouths.

It feels different to when they were in the shower, Jane thinks. She trails her hand to the dip of Maura's spine where the water rises to meet her fingers, feeling Maura's own tug gently at her hair. Definitely different. Jane can feel the heat radiating off her own body, the wetness gathering between her thighs far from the water that flows between their bodies.

"I'm ready," she breathes against Maura's lips as the lilac haired girl's palms trail down her neck. "I'm ready, Maura."

Maura looks to her darkened eyes, studying them for any uncertainty before she brushes their lips again. When she pulls away Jane reaches for her, feeling the tug between their bellies as Maura swims back to the pier. She hovers by the wood, waiting for Jane's body against hers before she urges the brunette up. The wood is rough against her skin as she slides up and back against it, praying for the absence of splinters as she watches Maura pull herself up.

Maura grazes her knee against the pier edge, feeling the breeze cool the sting against her skin as she crawls to Jane. She nudges Jane's shoulder until the brunette lies beneath her, wet hair splayed along the decking as her own body hovers above.

Jane's legs and hands tremble under Maura's gaze, feeling completely at ease as she reaches for the beautiful woman. Maura's cool thigh grazes her heated centre, sliding across the slick flesh it finds as each of their breasts meet, the smaller woman's head dipping to run her tongue along Jane's parted lips.

"You are so exquisite." Maura sighs, pressing her thigh between Jane's harder until the brunette's lips pull from hers with a low moan.

Jane's head tips to the side as Maura's lips find her neck, so gently that they could fly away with the breeze, damp strings of lilac hair leaving water trails down her collarbone. Her back arches as Maura closes her mouth around a peaked nipple, continuing to graze her thigh against Jane's centre. There are white spots in her vision, mingling with the stars that seem to have appeared around them, twitching at Maura's every move against her body.

Maura's tongue dances around the peaked nipple, her teeth grazing gently when she feels Jane's nails dig into her shoulder blades. Jane is so wound up that her stomach feels tight, pulsating with desire as one of Maura's hands find her core.

"Oh _god_..."

Maura lifts her head at the moan, stilling her fingers against Jane's swollen clit to assess whether it is meant to be a sign to stop. She sees the pleasure written across Jane's face and knows it's not. Being this close to Jane is privilege, an act she knows terrifies the brunette so trusting of her, an honour. Jane had touched Maura before, she'd explored and learnt her body; this was the first time Jane had trusted Maura enough to allow her the pleasure of doing so in return.

"I love you." she breathes into Jane's neck, feeling olive fingers wind in her hair as her own gently continue moving in slow circular motions.

Jane's skin is soft and glistening with sweat and lake water between them, leaving it to taste of salt and earth against Maura's tongue.

"I'm ready." Jane whispers, repeating her earlier words. "I trust you."

Maura slides two fingers inside the woman with the words, feeling Jane's whole body rise from the pier to meet her. Jane's whole body is open for her, relaxing and contracting around her fingers as they move with precision, as Jane pulls their lips together. Their kiss is uncalculated, teeth grazing teeth and meeting bruised lips, as Maura curls her fingers in Jane. Jane's hips buck into her hand, ignoring the scrape of broken wood against her back as she fights for relief.

"It's okay, Jane." Maura assures, feeling the tension in Jane's stomach unknot. "You can let go, I'm right here."

Maura kisses Jane's temple sweetly as the woman comes undone around her, catching her breath in Maura's ear. Maura kisses her until it's over, until the brunette's body relaxes under her own and her breathing, though heavier, returns to normal.

"I love you, Jane."

**xxxx**


	10. This Is Love

"Hey, Maur, are you coming?"

"Be there in a sec!" Maura calls to the driveway, watching Jane balance a box on her knee. She finds her father in the study, pushing her back against the heavy door until it shuts with a click.

"Finished already?" Her father asks, aware that as soon as the last box was packed that he'd be needed for the heavy lifting.

"Almost." Maura smiles, pushing off in the direction of her father's desk. "Jane is taking out the last of the boxes now." He smiles back at her, but it's a little sad as he sets his papers aside.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Maura breathes, perching herself on the desk, mimicking a line he'd used on her as a girl.

"I worry that you're rushing into this, bambino." he sighs, reaching for her hand. He held her hand a lot when she was small, her tiny fingers swallowed by his, when he looks at her now her palm still swims in his and it sends an ache to his chest.

"It's not that I don't like Jane, you know that I love her like my own," he assures his daughter who had a slightly worried expression on her face. "But I can't help wondering whether-" 

"It's because of mother?" Maura finishes, knowing her father all too well. 

"She feels bad for what she did." Alexander sighs, leaning back in his chair. "I know that's no excuse, you know I wasn't very happy with her." 

"I think I deserved it." Maura whispers. 

"No." He counters quickly, squeezing her hand tighter in his. 

"I know that I provoke her." Maura admits sheepishly. "Sometimes it's the only way she'll even look at me." 

"That's not true, I promise you it's not. She loves you and Lily but she just..." Alexander trails off, wiping a hand along his face. Even he struggled to understand his wife. "You know that those pictures at the exhibit weren't the only ones, right? There were even better ones." Maura scoffs, pulling from her father's hand. 

"If there were better ones then she would have used them." Maura bites back, struggling to believe her mother would ever be so sentimental. 

"They're in her office, she spent so long pouring over them." he laughs. "I went to ask her when she was coming to bed and I found her with a pile of just the two of you." Maura stops tracing her father's book spines, leaving her fingers to hover in the air as her head turns back in his direction. 

"There were ones I hadn't ever seen." he admitted quietly. "From all of those girl's only weekends you guys used to spend in the lake house, picture's she'd taken of you when Lily was a baby. Every one of them was show worthy." 

"Then why didn't she? I heard she was gunning for an award this year." 

"She is." Alexander nods. "But not with those. She said they were too personal, what she was really saying is that she loves them too much to share them with strangers." 

"I'm not leaving because of her." Maura offers finally. "I'm leaving because I think it's time, it makes sense for Jane as well." 

"She's in her studio, Maura, and I think she's scared." Scared; Maura thinks. Scared and her mother aren't usually compatible. 

"She hasn't apologised." Maura whispers. 

"She doesn't know how bambino, she wants to but I think she needs your help." 

"She needs _my_ help?" Maura snaps, completely overcome with conflicting emotions. "Where has she been when_ I've_ needed help?" Alexander rises from his desk, meeting his daughter in the centre of the study. 

"Parents make mistakes. I've made mistakes." He reminds her into her lilac hair, doing his best to calm his eldest daughter. "I'm not saying that you have to forgive her, I'm just asking you exactly what I've asked of her; Work at it." Maura relaxes in his arms, pressing into the kiss against her forehead. 

"Just go see her." Alexander breathes, knowing he's won. "For me, as a parting gift." 

"That's bribery." Maura giggles, pushing away from her father and wiping her eyes. "And I'm only moving three blocks away." Her father smiles, patting her shoulder as a knock sounds through the study. 

"Maur, Blue Steel, you ready to head off?" Jane grins, poking her head through the doorway.

**xxx**

Maura drives to the city without Jane, having convinced the brunette to join her father in the small truck they'd hired in an effort to ensure she could speak to her mother alone. Jane and her father were going to pick Oliver up from Jane's mother's house, and Maura had made her father swear he'd wait in the car. The first time their parents meet; Maura wants to be present. She can hear the stray boxes sliding in the back of her jeep, bits and pieces from her room shifting against one another.

Her chest feels tight with reasons why this is a bad idea, why her mother will not be happy to see her, but she tries to push them down as she pulls into a sparse parking lot. She hasn't been to her mother's studio in many years, not for more than to drop something off, but everything still looks the same.

She shifts on her feet as she takes the elevator to the seventh floor, stepping off to come face to face with the ajar door of her mother's primary work space.

"Mama, what colour is this?"

Maura recognises that voice instantly, she'd thought Lily was with a sitter at the park, her father had never mentioned that she'd be here.

"Periwinkle, darling. Why don't you try putting some up here?"

Maura hovers by the door with heaving breaths, listening to the monotone tap of her mother's finger against canvas. How long has Lily been coming here, when did her mother's afternoons become empty enough to allow it?

"Your turn, your turn!" Lily giggles.

"What colour should I use?"

Maura pushes the door open enough to see, feeling the familiar pang of guilt tugging at her gut. Her mother is barefoot, suit pants rolled awkwardly to her knees, bent over a large coloured canvas with Lily at her side. She watches her mother shamelessly press her palm into a pot of paint, bringing it to the canvas where Lily has streaked her hand.

"What colour is your hand, Mama?"

"Marigold." Maura hums without thinking, watching her mother jump slightly in surprise.

"Maurey!"

Her sister runs to her with arms open, paint trickling to her elbows, little feet thudding against the floor.

"Lily!" Constance calls at the last moment, halting the little girl's steps. "I don't think your sister wants paint all over her jeans, do you?"

"No, Mama." Lily realises, rushing in the other direction to the tap.

Maura wanders to their painting as Constance joins Lily by the sink, helping the little girl rinse much of the morning's paint from her hands. There are two handprints arched like a rainbow across smudges of green and brighter yellow, clearly not meant to be any one thing in particular.

"Do you like it, Maurey?" Lily huffs, hands on the hips of her paint spattered smock.

"I love it, little moo." Maura smiles back earnestly. "Did you start it this morning?"

Lily shakes her head, reaching out her fingers to stroke contemplatively over the dryer patches of paint.

"Lily and I started this one about a week ago." Constance chimes in, moving to admire the canvas with her daughter's. "Lily thought that it might look nice in yours and Jane's new home."

The breath hitches in Maura's throat at the confession, standing straight beside her mother as Lily grins up at them.

"Do you think Jane and Oliver will like it?" Lily questions hopefully.

"I'm sure they'll think it's very special." Maura whispers, wiping the back of her hand across her cheek.

"Lily, darling, could you please go fetch your backpack and make sure that all your pencils are put away for me."

Lily pulls away from them as Constance's hand comes to rest hesitantly against her eldest daughter's shoulder. Maura sighs into the touch, it's been a long time since her mother has touched her for comfort and there's something foreign to it; but oh so intensely desired.

"Are you alright, ma Cheri?"

Maura laughs as she wipes at her eyes, turning into her mother's chest. Constance seems socked at first, taking a few moments to wrap her arms around Maura's back.

"Do you forgive me?" the lilac haired girl breathes, relaxing into the soft kiss that Constance dares run along her hairline.

"There's nothing to be forgiven from you." she assures, running her palms along Maura's spine. "It is I who should be seeking your forgiveness."

Maura sniffles against her mother's shoulder before pulling back with another awkward laugh.

"Daddy said that you'd be here."

Constance shakes her head with a smirk; her husband always had a way of interfering in the best ways.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go for lunch some time, just the two of us."

Constance's face gleams the same colour of hopeful as Maura's at the suggestion, parting her lips to answer before Lily comes crashing into their legs.

"Maurey, Mama, let's go get ice cream!" the small girl pipes in excitedly, flashing a grin between the two.

"I can't right now, little moo." Maura apologises sadly, reaching her arms out for the smaller girl to climb into them. "I'm unpacking at the new house today with Jane, remember?"

"Well that's no problem." Constance smiles warmly, causing both the girl's heads to turn. "We can go and help the girl's and your father and then maybe after we can stop for ice cream on the way home."

Lily wriggles excitedly from Maura's grip to hug her mother fiercely, clearly more than happy with the proposed arrangement.

"Are you sure you want to help?" Maura asks disbelievingly.

"Of course," Constance smiles, stroking Lily's hair. "I've unpacked quite a few boxes in my time dear. Besides, I think it'll be a nice way for me to get to know Jane some more."

"Okay." Maura smiles brightly. "Yeah, I'd really like that."

**Xxxx**

"Do you plan on helping at all?" Maura teases with a smirk on her face as she passes Jane in their new living room. Maura's arms were full of pillows that she dropped down beside her girlfriend who was happily sitting on the floor keeping both Lily and Oliver entertained.

"Hey I'm happy to swap jobs." Jane chuckled as Lily sat before her with a Barbie doll in her small hands. Maura scrunched up her face, much preferring to unpack than play with dolls.

"I hope she's not giving you any trouble." Constance's quiet voice came from the front door suddenly; her littlest girl jumping off of her place on the floor to run into her mother's awaiting arms.

"Not at all." Jane smiled nervously as she stood with Oliver, resting him on her left hip as her eyes darted to rest on her girlfriends face.

"What are you doing here?" Maura asked her mother in confusion.

"I came to help you unpack." The older woman commented in just as much confusion as Maura. Hadn't she just told her she was coming to help?

"I didn't expect…" Maura trailed off, looking across at Jane who was shifting on her feet in an attempt to keep Oliver calm. His quiet whimpers slowly started to get louder and before they all knew it his cries were echoing through the empty living room.

"Oh the poor thing." Constance cooed, taking three steps closer to Jane before she placed Lily back on the floor. "Would it be okay if I…"

"Oh, yeah. Of course." Jane smiled affectionately as she placed her son into her girlfriend's mother's arms. He stopped crying almost instantly when Constance laid him against her chest, whispering incoherent things into the little boy's ear. "Say, Constance, would you like a change of clothes? I'm sure that suit isn't made for moving and unpacking."

"Oh, you're right, Jane." Maura frets, looking her mother's fancy get up up and down. "I'm sorry I didn't offer you some more suitable clothes, Mother." Constance quirks her lip as Maura scampers off in search of _suitable _clothing, leaving Constance and Jane alone with the young ones.

"Jane," Constance begins hesitantly. "I feel as though I should apologise to you especially, for judging you before I took the time to know you." Jane can see the nervousness written across Constance's face as the older woman twists a ring on her hand.

"Apology accepted," Jane smiles, offering her hand to Oliver.

"Thank you sweetheart." Constance grins as she looked down at Oliver in her arms. "In future I hope to be spending time with all three of you."

"I hope these fit." Maura mumbles as she joins them again. She thrusts a pair of old cut-off jeans and a t-shirt in her mother's direction, silently praying that she won't turn up her nose.

"I'm sure they'll be wonderful ma cheri, just let me go and change." Jane smiles gently as Maura is praised, watching the way her girlfriend's face lights up, she reminds herself to thank Constance sometime in the future. Constance shifted Oliver into Maura's arms, the little boy frowning at being shifted.

Twenty minutes later and they're all making record time, Constance as surprised everyone by matching her husband box for box.

"That's my girl." Alexander grins, dipping his head to kiss Constance sweetly.

"Get a room!" Jane calls out playfully.

"Jane," Maura scolds in an embarrassed manor. "Don't encourage them! We haven't even had a chance to-" Maura pauses as her parents break apart to raise their eyebrows Maura blushes, eliciting amused laughter from everyone else in the apartment.

"I got you a gift." Constance announced as both of the girls felt their eyebrows rise in wonder. "Technically it's for Oliver."

"Rude." Maura teases as she nudges Jane playfully with her hip.

"You didn't need to do that." Jane confesses nervously, unsure of how to respond

"I've been positively horrid to you, Jane. You haven't deserved any of it and this is my way of making amends." Maura nodded along with her mother's words. She made a note of pointing out to Jane when they were alone that gifts were Constance's way of fixing things.

"You go finish unpacking and I'll get Alexander to get it out of the car for you." Jane merely nodded as she offered her son to the older women who'd been struggling to look anywhere but the baby's face. Constance accepted him with an excited smile, lifting the boy over her head, earning a squeal of happiness in return.

"Which room do you want to start with?" Maura asked as she applied a layer of lip balm to her red lips. Jane nodded toward the stairs, indicating she wanted to start upstairs.

Without protest, Maura lifted a box marked _clothes _up off the floor and made her way up the off white staircase. Jane felt a smirk tug at the corner of her lips over the fact her girlfriends idea of unpacking was putting clothes into a wardrobe.

"Is this a new bed?" Jane asked in wonder as they walked into their bedroom, incomplete parts of a large wooden bedframe scattered against each of the four walls.

"Of course it is." Maura replied with raised eyebrows. "We can't start our new life with old furniture."

"Why?" Jane asked with a scrunched up nose, not appreciating how many trees she could only imagine had to die in order to furnish their humble apartment.

"It's a Feng Shui thing… It's hard to explain." Maura admits as she opens the box she has just carried upstairs and begins placing each of their clothes in opposite sides of the walk in robe.

"You don't actually expect me to do this alone, do you?" Jane frowns as she takes a seat in the centre of the room, crossing her legs underneath her as she picked up the instructions for putting their bed together.

"Your brothers should be here soon, can't they do it?" Maura asked innocently, wanting no part in anything that involved heavy lifting.

"You're such a princess." Jane joked as she stood up, running her hands through her hair, stress slowly begin to set it; they had so much left to do.

"Hey, I've been thinking about Halloween." Maura interjected as she walked back into the large wardrobe, hanging her dresses in order of her most to least worn for convenience.

"Mm?" Jane questioned as she pulled her clothes out of a box, shoving them inside a drawer without any care.

"Should we offer to take Lily trick or treating with us?" Maura wonders aloud, biting down on her bottom lip.

"It would be more fun for Oli if she were there, that's for sure." Jane points out as Alexander walks into the room, dragging a large box behind him.

"Do you want me to set this up in here?" He asks the girls before running the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead.

"No that's for the baby's room." Constance interrupts as she walks into the room; suddenly the whole family standing in their new bedroom.

"What is it?" Maura asks, walking out of the wardrobe she was so excited to use.

"It's my gift. I wasn't sure on your opinion of gender colours, so I just got a nice mahogany finish." Both Maura and Jane stood by in complete confusion while Alexander turned around the box, the image of a large wooden crib suddenly facing the two girls.

"You bought him a crib." Maura realised aloud, wondering how Jane was going to react to the gesture.

"Go set it up in his room." Constance instructed her husband, though he was quickly stopped by Jane's hand on his bicep.

"He's never had a crib, not a real one anyway." Jane whispered, a lump forming in her throat as she looked Constance straight in the eye.

"Yes I know, Maura mentioned it to me." Constance admitted with a small smile as she balanced Oliver in her arms. Jane took a moment to appreciate the fact that he was fast asleep in the middle of the day; her child never was one for naps.

"Are you okay?" Maura asked timidly as her girlfriend slowly moved toward her mother.

"Can I… Would it be okay if I hugged you?" Jane asked Constance with a nervous laugh.

**xxx**

"We have our own place." Jane realised aloud as she lay comfortably on the sofa with her son on her chest, feeding him for the last time before he went down for the night.

"Do you like it?" Maura asks with a sweet smile as she pulls three candles out of one of the last boxes, placing them neatly on top of the fireplace that would lay dormant until winter.

"It's better than I ever imagined." Jane admitted as she gently ran her hand along her eight month old baby's back in an attempt to help soothe the boy.

"What are you thinking about Halloween?" Maura asked curiously, already beginning to plan out how they could decorate their new place.

"How cute would it be if we got Lily and Oli to have co-ordinating outfits?" Jane laughed.

"Oh my god, Jane! We have to!" Maura exclaimed excitedly, making Oliver jump slightly in his mother's arms.

"Are there any kid's movies or books Lily loves?" Jane asks before lifting the light baby blanket she had covering Oliver's eyes, laughing when he looked up at her with wide eyes.

"She really loves Alice In Wonderland." Maura suggests, smiling affectionately as Jane sits Oliver up and begins to burp him.

"What about Alice and the white rabbit." Jane proposes, Maura's eyes lighting up in excitement. "Hold on, you have to ask if we can take Lily first." Jane laughed, knowing her girlfriend was about to go online and buy both of their costumes without a second thought.

"Do you want to dress up?" Maura asks innocently as she takes a seat on the carpeted floor.

"You have to be kidding, we're 20 Maura." Jane laughed, instinctively knowing that if Maura really wanted to dress up; they'd both be dressing up.

"Babe, pleaaaase." Maura begged, her puppy dog eyes disappearing the second Jane placed Oliver on the ground in front of her. "Okay no, you cannot use the baby as a distraction." Maura added as she smiled at the little boy sitting beside her.

"Have you seen Black Swan?" Jane asked as she slid off the sofa to join her girlfriend and son on the living room floor. Maura smirks down at the floor as she lets Oliver take her phone from her hands, it instantly going into his mouth.

"Of course I have." Maura laughs, pursing her lips before looking up at her girlfriend. "You are so gay."

"Only for you." Jane reminds her with a playful wink, leaning across the little boy between them to press her lips to Maura's gently. "Where are you off to?" Jane laughs when her little boy is no longer between them, instead crawling across the room to the bookcase.

"Jane…" Both of the girls pause as Oliver reaches to grab the bottom shelf, pulling himself up with ease into a standing position. Both girls hold their breath as he, while holding the shelf to keep his balance, takes three steps sideways.

"Baby!" Jane squeals excitedly, her hands clamping over her mouth as he lets go and falls straight onto his bum in shock.

"We have really got to stop scaring him." Maura giggles as she stands and lifts Oliver off the ground, rubbing his back gently to ensure he didn't start screaming their new apartment down.

"I really need to start getting these moments on camera, Ma is going to kill me for missing another Kodak moment." Both of the girls laughed as they headed up the staircase, seeming to instinctively choose to put Oliver to bed together tonight.


	11. Blank Spaces

When Maura awoke on Halloween morning, she was instantly aware of the lips gently pressing against her shoulder blades and the hand that was tracing the contour of her ribs softly. Maura opened her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips as she wriggled her body backwards so she could be closer to her girlfriend.

"Good morning." Jane hummed as she moved to press her lips against the pulse point in Maura's neck, goosebumps rising on the lilac haired girls arms when she did so.

"Hi." Maura smirked when her girlfriend's fingers began toying with one of her nipples, clearly in no mood to take her time. "We have so much to do today." Maura noted, though it did not distract Jane in the slightest.

"That's why we need to start the day on a good note." Jane replied, earning a spirited giggle from her girlfriend who shifted in her arms so she could press their lips together.

"What about…" Maura started, her words catching in her throat when Jane's fingers began softly tracing along Maura's frilly, satin underwear.

"Already fed and put back to bed."

Jane pushes the fabric aside, swiping her fingers along the length of Maura's slick flesh.

"I could get used to this..." Maura purrs, arching her hips towards Jane's fingers.

Maura bites down on her lip as Jane pushes inside her, releasing a strangled moan through pearly teeth as her hips rock upwards. Jane captures its end in her mouth, flicking her tongue out along her girlfriend's as she continues her movements.

"Faster," Maura pants, rolling her hips in time with Jane's quickening thrusts.

Jane chuckles until Maura's lips find her jaw, nipping at the curved bone and soothing it with her tongue til she can feel the echo of the brunette's pulse point calling her name. She finds the hammering blood between her teeth at the same time Jane flicks a thumb across her clit, each woman pressing into their respective touches. Maura can feel her orgasm building, Jane's fingers curling deep inside her... until a familiar cry resounds through the apartment.

"Fuck..." Jane sighs, stilling her fingers inside the blonde. "I swear he was fine before."

Maura practically whines as Jane removes her fingers, leaving an apologetic kiss against her forehead.

"Later." she promises, rushing from the room to calm her son.

Maura grumbles low in her throat, so close yet so far from the pleasure she desires, half considering finishing herself off. Her hand wanders down to where Jane's was minutes prior, still feeling the wet heat there.

"Maur, where did we put his costume?"

Maura sighs deeply, throwing her hand away knowing fine well the moment was over. _Later_.

**xxx**

"I swear to god, Lily." Maura groaned as the little girl ran toward Jane, poking her tongue out at her sister playfully as she did so. "You want Jane to do your hair?" The look of terror that made its way onto the brunette's face was enough to cause Maura to break out into giggles.

"You want to be Alice, right?" Jane asked the little girl quietly, resting her hands on the little girls back before she turned her and pushed her gently toward Maura Lily burst into giggles before throwing her arms around Jane's neck.

"Lily, come here _now._" Maura warned, her voice loud and dark causing even Jane to sit up straight. "Lily!" Maura yelled once Maura, and when Lily's arms tightened around Jane's neck the brunette knew it was time to step in.

"Hey, calm down." Jane whispered, running a hand across Lily's back in an attempt to let the young girl know she was in no way in any trouble. "What's the problem?" Jane asked, frowning at her girlfriend. She was yet to ever see Maura raise her voice; she knew there must have been something triggering it.

"Aren't you nervous?" Jane pursed her lips, comprehension washing over her.

"About our parents meeting?" Jane clarified just to be sure as she pushed Lily away again. "Go let your sister do your hair.

"Why does she listen to you?" Maura asked with a frown as her sister returned to her seat in front of Maura. Jane lifted her shoulders, pulling the most innocent face she could in her girlfriend's direction.

"You have nothing to be nervous about."

"My parents aren't the most normal people in the world." Maura reminded Jane with a small smile as she began to brush through her sister's blonde hair.

"I can't get over this." Jane smiled, both of her hands moving to rest on her face as she looked at her son who was crawling around the living room floor in his rabbit costume. Jane chose to try and distract Maura rather than argue with her about whose family was more normal.

"Why is your mother so insistent on coming over tonight?"

"It's her first grandbaby's first Halloween, Maur." Jane pointed out, shrugging her shoulders casually. Jane moved to sit in front of Oliver, holding his hands so the little boy could pull himself up onto his feet with ease. The brunette felt her heart hammer in her chest when he took shaky steps closer to her. Being a mother really was the most thrilling thing she'd ever done.

"He's getting closer." Maura noted with a bobby pin wedged open between her top and bottom teeth, both of her hands holding back half of her little sister's hair.

"I'm so scared." Jane laughed nervously, genuinely dreading her son finally being fully mobile. There were so many expensive, nice things in their new home. Jane made a point to start baby proofing asap. Oliver grinned up at his mother as he took a final step with her help and collapsed into her waiting arms.

"babababa." Oliver babbled as he pressed his face against his mothers, taking her nose into his mouth as if it were a pacifier. Jane scrunched her face up and pulled him back slightly, drool running down her face as she did so.

"I live such a glamorous life." Jane joked, rolling her eyes at her son as she wiped her face on her shoulder. Jane placed her son on his back down on the carpeted floor before moving to sit on her thighs as though she were moving into child's pose, looking down at Oliver with an affectionate smile. "You are so cheeky." Jane told him before rubbing her nose gently against his, both of his chubby hands resting on each of her cheeks as she did so.

"Mama." Oliver spat out suddenly, both of the girls stopping what they were doing to look at the little boy who was continuously mumbling _mama_ over and over again. Jane turned with wide eyes to look at her girlfriend, almost begging her to promise her she wasn't dreaming.

"I guess he's going to call you mama." Maura smiled across at Jane who had lifted her son back to rest against her chest, tears burning behind her dark eyes.

"I wonder what he's going to call you." Jane wonders aloud as she places Oliver in his high chair, disappearing into the kitchen to grab some baby apple sauce for him. Maura smiled sweetly, lost in her own thoughts about a topic they weren't quite ready to discuss. What would Jane's son call Maura?

"Janie?" Angela's voice came from the front door, the older Italian letting herself into their apartment and making her way into the living area where she found the girls.

"Hey ma." Jane said without looking away from her son as she placed a bib around his neck to protect his costume from any stains.

"Hi sweetheart." Angela waved at Maura as she pressed her lips against her daughter's hair. "Is this Lily?" She asked with that warm smile only mothers seem to be able to pull off.

"Hi!" Lily exclaimed, "who are you?"

"I'm Jane's mom." Angela told her before she began rummaging through her bag, thankfully just as Maura finished pinning her hair piece in place. "I have something for you; I hope she likes dolls."

Lily's ears perk up at the word, instinctually reaching her hands for Angela's bag.

"A doll?" she asks, wide eyed. "For me?"

"The present was quite unnecessary, Angela." Maura says, Lily shooting her a look that tells her it was completely necessary.

Angela hands over the doll and Lily squeals excitedly, Oliver flapping his arms excitably to match. Lily gives Angela a tight squeeze around the knees in thank you before running off to play with her new toy.

"Lily!" Maura chastises. "You need to come sit so I can do your hair, I promise we're nearly done." Jane guides the little girl back to her girlfriend, running a calming hand along Maura's shoulder before turning back to her mother.

"You're five minutes late to his newest milestone." Jane frowns, leaning next to her mother. "Isn't she little guy? Mama, can you say Mama?" she coos. Oliver flaps his arms again in her direction, smiling at her.

"Mamamamama..." he echoes. "Mama."

"Oh my baby!" Angela exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands in Oliver's direction earning a wide eyed looking of happiness in return before his hands mimicked his grandmothers.

"Can you watch him while I go get ready?" Jane asks her mother, handing her the small pot of apple sauce she was about to start feeding to her son.

"Is he really a bunny for Halloween?" Angela asked sceptically as she looked down at her grandson whose eyes refused to focus on anything but the food in her hand.

"What? No. He's the white rabbit, like from Alice In Wonderland." Jane corrected her mother, pointing toward Lily in her bright blue and white dress as she spoke.

"Matching outfits for the little ones; how grown up." Angela joked, nudging Jane playfully. It wasn't until the words left her mother's mouth that Jane realised how right she was. They were already acting like a little family. "Maura what are you dressing as love?"

"Wonder Woman." Maura announced proudly as Jane disappeared up the stairs to put on her costume that Maura had begged her to reconsider. "Jane is going as a witch."

"Jane never was one for dressing up." Angela laughed, able to tell Maura was unimpressed with her girlfriend's effort.

**xxx**

The girls took both Lily and Oliver trick or treating for all of two hours before Lily was begging Maura to carry her. Oliver was fast asleep in Jane's arms and both of the girls wanted nothing more than to be home in their warm bed together.

"When is your dad picking Lily up?" Jane asked as she lifted Oliver out of his car seat when they got home, instantly placing him in the portable bassinet they had set up in the living room.

"I'll call him and check." Maura whispered as she carried Lily into the house, laying her on the sofa in an effort to keep her sleeping. Maura made her way into the kitchen, slipping her heels off in the process and placing them by the front door. She stretched her shoulders, her whole body tense from carrying her four year old sister around most of the night.

"So Ma is going to come grab Oli." Jane announced as she came back downstairs, though Maura hadn't even noticed her go _up_ the stairs.

"What? Why?" Maura asked in confusion as she pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator, a smile coming onto her lips when Jane wrapped her arms around her waist. Jane had rid herself of the ridiculous wig she'd been wearing all night and finally looked like Jane again.

"I thought we could make up for this morning." Jane murmured with a smirk as she pressed her lips lovingly against Maura's jawline, earning a quiet sigh of satisfaction in return.

"I guess that's okay then." Maura replied, letting her head fall back giving Jane better access to her neck, the brunette instantly dipping her head to bite down on Maura's pulse point.

"I'm hereeeeee girls." Angela announced awkwardly as she held her hands over her eyes in their kitchen. Both of the girls jumped apart, Maura's cheeks flushing a deep crimson at being caught in a compromising position _again._

"Ma I _just _called you." Jane groaned, annoyed more than anything else at being cut off by another of her family members when all she wanted was her hands tangled up in everything that is Maura.

"I was dropping Frankie off down the street!" Angela excused herself, holding hands up in front of her chest in apology, offering Maura a reassuring smile that what she'd almost walked in on hadn't changed the way she felt about her.

Three quiet taps on the front door broke the silence that followed, Jane rolling her eyes as she pointed to where Oliver was sleeping.

"I'll get his overnight bag." Jane muttered as she disappeared up the stairs again, leaving Maura to open the door. Angela made her way to where her grandson was sleeping, lifting him into her arms without a second of hesitation. Thankfully; he remained asleep.

"Daddy." Maura smiled as she opened the front door, wrapping her arms around her father's neck and allowing herself to breathe in his familiar scent. She felt his hands loosen around her waist but she refused to let go, just wanting a few more seconds.

"Are you okay?" He chuckled, kissing the top of her head when she finally let go of him. Maura merely nodded, shrugging her shoulders in an effort to brush off her rather long hug.

"Is mom with you?" Maura asked nervously, biting down on her bottom lip. Alexander shook his head before Maura spoke again. "Um, Jane's mother is here." Maura whispered.

"Do you want me to come back later?" Her father asked in complete sincerity, not moving from his place in the entry way, unsure of how to approach the given situation. He made note to ask his daughter why her own mother being there would have made a difference when they were next alone.

"What? No. I was just letting you know." Maura replied quickly, taking her father's large hand and leading him into the living room. "Angela? This is my father, Alexander."

"Hi." Alexander beamed, taking his hand from Maura's in order to shake Jane's mothers hand. Angela looked up at him with a small smile, clearly taken back by the man's good looks.

"Blue Steel." Jane grinned as she walked down the staircase for the second time since they got home.

"Jane." He laughed, rolling his eyes at his nickname that was apparently not going anywhere fast. Jane walked straight up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she extended the overnight bag she'd back to Angela.

"I see you met my Ma." Jane smirked, pursing her lips as her mother continued looking completely flawed by Alexander's looks. No one could deny he was gorgeous. "Wait, why aren't you dressed up?!"

"You took Lily for us; I **finally** am free of Halloween." Alexander chuckled, nudging Jane's shoulder with a wink. Maura felt a sigh of relief wash over her at their playful interaction. "Got a romantic night planned?"

"Oh, I caught them beginning their romantic night." Angela laughed awkwardly, causing everyone except Alexander to blush in response. Instead, he laughed.

"That's my girls."

**xxx**

"You're not wearing your costume anymore."

"It was itchy." Jane laughs, clearing the spare costume bits and pieces from the dining table.

"Shame..." Maura breathes, wrapping her arms around the brunette from behind.

She turns Jane's body to face her, eyes darkening at the gasp her girlfriend releases. Maura, unlike Jane, is still dressed in her outfit; albeit a little more provocatively than earlier. Her boots have been exchanged for Jane's favourite red pumps, a section of rope attached to the garter on her thigh.

"I never realised I had a Wonder Woman fetish before." Jane admits, reaching a hand to run along Maura's patterned leotard.

Maura slaps her hand away as fingers graze her breasts, the brunette's eyes perceptibly wider at the realisation Maura no longer wears a bra underneath.

"Sit." Maura husks, pushing Jane back into one of their chairs.

Jane stumbles a little, her eyes too caught on the movement of Maura's thighs as the woman struts to follow her.

"What are you-"she's silenced with a kiss as Maura's body bends over hers for a few moments.

When Maura pulls back she slides onto Jane's lap, straddling strong thighs as she reconnects their lips again. Her lilac hair tickles Jane's face as her hands move lower, grazing across Jane's breasts and around her waist before they continue back to her front.

When Jane feels the rope on her wrists she panics for an instant, her eyes flying open to meet Maura's. She relaxes under their hazel reassurance, simply quivering as she's bound tight to the

chair. Maura watches her give an experimental tug, hissing as the tightly wound fabric grazes across her wrist.

"The safe word is justice." Maura winks, nipping at her earlobe before she slides from Jane's lap.

Jane whimpers at the loss, tugging on her restraints with a pout. Maura just smirks, waggling her finger in Jane's direction, turning and walking from the room.

"Maura?" Jane calls. "Maur, what are you doing? This isn't funny."

After a few minutes of no reply Jane begins to worry, a million possible mistakes crossing through her mind as she begins to struggle harder against her bindings.

"Maur..." she whines, kicking her feet on the ground. "Come on, you can't do that."

Maura stands just out of Jane's sight, stifling her laughter with a hand until she can muster up her demeanour again. She enters the room without explanation, watching Jane's frustration disappear with each sway of her hips in the hot red heels.

When Maura leans over her again she surges to capture pink bottom lip between her teeth, shocked as her mouth fills with something unfamiliar.

"You need to know when it's time to be quiet." Maura whispers, pinching her girlfriend's cheeks between her pointer and thumb. "I want that ball to remain in your mouth unless you need to use our safe word, capisce?"

Jane's eyes are black as they search Maura's for any hint that this whole thing is a joke, shining as she realises her girlfriend is just as serious as she was about never throwing away her shoe boxes. She nods.

"Good girl..." Maura hums, kissing Jane's cheek lightly. "Now spread your legs."

Jane obeys as Maura runs hands down her torso, paying special attention to her covered breasts until Jane presses against her as much as she's allowed. When Maura kneels between her legs she swallows as roughly as she can with the ball still in her mouth, lifting her hips so that Maura can tug down her shorts. The chair is warm against her as she loses her panties next, making low whimpering sounds as Maura reaches out to touch her.

Maura swipes her fingers along the length of Jane's dampening flesh, pressing herself inside for a few moments to greet the rise of the brunette's hips. When she withdraws, pleased with the wetness she's found, she can hear Jane's garbled no's and please's trying to lure her back but she refuses.

Jane's eyes widen as Maura reaches down by the side of the chair, producing a light purple phallus Jane hadn't even realised that Maura owned. Maura presents it in upturned palms, giving Jane the chance to study it and an option to refuse before she continues. It's double ended, Jane realises, one side shorter than the other; Jane wonders which Maura will use on her.

"Do you want this?" Maura asks, her voice dripping sultry between Jane's thighs.

Jane tries to speak before she remembers her gag, nodding swiftly in reply.

"Which end to use..." Maura contemplates teasingly, running the shorter head along Jane's folds. "Which would you prefer baby? Blink once for this end," she commands, pressing against Jane's clit with the shorter end. "Or twice for the other."

Jane blinks twice and Maura smirks, running her tongue across her lips.

"My, my, someone's feeling greedy tonight." Maura clucks.

For a minute or so Jane thinks that Maura may deny her, groaning low in her gut as she feels the longer end graze against her. The phallus slides inside her easily when guided by Maura's hand, the lilac haired woman between her knees taking her time as she skims Jane's clit.

Jane down casts her gaze to Maura's as she removes her hand from the toy, leaving it to bob inside her lightly, as fingers move to her leotard. She draws it down her shoulders, watching Jane's eyes watch her slowly reveal her breasts. When the fabric bunches just beneath them she leaves it, running hands up along her breasts to tweak at her nipples. Jane's hips twitch towards her, shuddering as the toy moves inside her. Maura's lip quirks upwards beneath her teeth as she runs hands up along Jane's thighs, ensuring she has the brunette's full attention before lowering her mouth.

Jane swears she can feel it, swears that she can feel Maura's tongue gliding across the head of the toy inside her, bucking her hips wantonly as she fights her restraints. She can see Maura's breasts move with each motion, finally understanding the pure want that a blowjob can induce. When Maura takes the exposed end of the toy fully in her mouth Jane groans, pressing it to her throat as much as she can without leaving the chair.

Maura works fast, each stroke of her mouth moving the toy inside Jane's body until her girlfriend is panting so hard that Maura worries she may pass out. She lets the phallus pop from her lips with a string of saliva still connecting her to Jane. She rises from her knees to shuck the heels and her costume headband, finally pulling down the last of her leotard.

Jane licks her lips as Maura straddles her again, feeling every inch of their toy slide inside her. Maura's head falls back, Lilac tresses brushing her spine, as she begins to rock on Jane's lap. The toy moves inside them both as Maura's nails dig against her girlfriend's still clothed back.

"Do you want me to take it out?" Maura pants, never stilling her hips, as she motions to the ball in Jane's mouth.

Jane nods furiously, practically spitting it into Maura's hand.

"God," she chokes, rolling her hips with Maura's.

"Kiss me."

Jane moves her lips to Maura's neck, sucking and biting a path that will last for days, losing her breath as Maura moves atop her. When she reaches Maura's mouth the woman's tongue slides between her lips, tracing the path of her teeth and tongue. Jane can feel how close she is, can feel herself contracting around the toy, and god she hopes that Maura is close too.

Maura groans into Jane's mouth as she feels teeth close against her tongue, tugging lightly in the way that Jane knows drives her absolutely crazy. She reaches one of her hands between them, finding Jane's clit as she continues riding the toy and increasing the tug-pull between them. It only takes a few circles around the bundle of nerves for Jane to be spent, disconnecting their lips to echo Maura's name. Maura comes soon after, still riding Jane's aftershock as she moves to her own clit.

Maura's forehead falls to Jane's shoulder when they're both done, purring affection into the brunette's collar as she feels a kiss against her hairline.

"I wasn't expecting that." Jane admits breathily.

"Neither," Maura laughs. "But we'll have to do it again."

"I'm hungry." Jane sighed, licking her lips just before her stomach grumbled loudly, causing smiles to break out on both girl's faces.

"I'm going to have a shower, make yourself something to eat and meet me back in bed in half an hour."

**xxx**

Jane felt sick. She was yet to lie to Maura and doing so felt more wrong than anything else she had ever done. She sat quietly at the outdoor café table; Oliver perched happily in his stroller beside her as she nervously checked her phone for the fifth time. Maybe he wasn't coming.

"I'm sorry I'm late." The sound of Casey's voice sent an unfamiliar shiver down Jane's spin, her heart hammering in her chest as he sat down across from her, thankfully making no move to hug or touch her. "How are you?" He asked straight up, the lump in Jane's throat making it impossible for her to speak; so she didn't.

Casey's eyes moved to rest on Oliver's face, a sickly sweet smile playing on his familiar lips as he leaned forward in his seat, extending his hand toward their son. Oliver instinctively reached for the offered hand, wrapping his small fingers around Casey's thumb.

"Hey little man," Casey cooed, bringing Oliver's hand to his face so he could press his lips against the baby's soft Olive toned skin.

"Oliver, his names Oliver." Jane spoke, knowing that he already knew but feeling the need to tell him for herself. Casey nodded, not looking up at her as he continued kissing Oliver's hand.

"Would… Do you mind if I…" Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat, nodding none the less as she released the breaks on the stroller in order to push it closer to Casey. Jane watched with cautious eyes as her ex-boyfriend lifted their son out of his seat.

"What happened to the army?" Jane asked straight up, wanting to know how long she had to worry about accidentally running into Casey in Boston while she was with Maura.

"I'm just waiting to find out when I'm being deployed." Casey admitted, relief washing over Jane's body at his words. "So I won't be here long, don't worry." Oliver beamed up at his father, his hands resting on his scruffy face.

"I need to know you aren't going to pull that sort of crap again, Casey," he looked at her with complete innocence on his face. "Mother's day, sending me flowers? That isn't okay."

"Sending you flowers isn't okay?" Casey asked spitefully; obviously not ready to have the civilised conversation Jane was desperate to get out of the way. "Is that coming from you or _her_?" Jane is taking back by his question, genuinely not expecting him to mention Maura at all.

"Maura has nothing to do with this. This is about us, about him." Jane lied, staring at her son who seemed far too happy in his dad's lap. Maura had everything to do with this. She wanted nothing more than for her girlfriend to feel completely at ease.

"You can't keep him from me." Casey threatened, Jane's heart skipping two beats as she considered his words. She cleared her throat, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to keep from crying.

"Don't do that. Believe me; you do not want to do that." Jane responded, her voice dark and full of warning. Everything inside of Jane knew that if he even _tried _to take her son away, he'd be in for a world of hurt. Too many people in her life cared and cherished her son, no one was taking him away.

"Is he walking yet?" Casey asked, focusing both of their attention on their son rather than each other. Jane couldn't help but smile as her little boy looked back at her, recognition in his eyes.

"Not yet, but his getting really close," Jane replied.

"What about talking?" Casey probed, surprising Jane by asking genuine questions about their little boy.

"He isn't even one yet." Jane reminded him with a chuckle, her smile instantly fading as she realised he didn't even know what Oliver's birth date was. They shared a moment of awkward silence before Casey turned Oliver around in his lap, standing the boy on his feet. "Do you talk to him about me?"

"No." Jane admitted quietly, but truthfully. Casey nodded, refusing to admit that it bothered him.

"And you're happy?" He continued, "with her, I mean."

"I am. I really am." Jane admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat at the fact he was asking seemingly sincere questions about her girlfriend.

"We do make some handsome babies, Rizzoli." Casey laughed playfully as he lifted Oliver over his head, the little boy squealing in excitement.

"No one is denying that." Jane chuckled in response.

"Jane?" The familiar voice made the brunettes stomach drop, her whole body beginning to tremble before she looked to her side, greeted with Maura's unsure face. Constance stood beside her with a sweet smile, oblivious to the situation she'd just walked into.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Jane asked, her voice shaking as she spoke. Casey continued kissing all over Oliver's face while they spoke, clearly not interested in making anyone comfortable.

"I'm having lunch with my mother. What are you doing here?" Maura asked, her skin crawling at the sight of who she could only assume was Casey. He was a spitting image of Oliver and it made her want to scream.

"We… I'm just… He wanted to meet Oliver." Jane replied, praying that Casey didn't hate her enough to interrupt and let Maura know that it was she who had called him. Finally Casey decided to speak, flashing a wide smile in the lilac haired girls' direction.

"You must be the famous Maura Isles." Maura tried to force a smile, but it came out as nothing short of a scowl.

"I'm sorry but I have absolutely nothing to say to you." Maura responded truthfully, her mother sliding her arm through her daughters, suddenly feeling the thick tension that lingered in the air between them all.

"Excuse me?" Casey asked with a frown, standing to hand Oliver to Jane who was thankfully to have a distraction, no matter how small.

"You left them. You left her, how could you do that?" Maura asked, her protective nature when it came to both Oliver and Jane going into overdrive every time Casey opened his mouth.

"Maura don't." Jane begged, her whole body still trembling. "Please." Maura looked at her girlfriend in pure disbelief, her heart aching in her chest when she, without another word, walked away.

**xxx**

When Jane walked through their front door later that afternoon, a large part of her expected to see her things sitting by the front door. The last thing she expected was to find her girlfriend standing behind the stove, candles lighting the whole kitchen and living area.

"Maura…" Jane started quietly, her heart hammering in her chest as she spoke. The shorter girl turned toward the sound, an apologetic smile on her lips.

"Hey." She replied, just as quietly as she met Jane and Oliver at the kitchen counter. They instinctively swapped Oliver in the way they did after afternoon when Jane got home, though today Maura was especially thankful to have him safely in her arms.

"I'm sorry." Jane sighed, tears burning behind her eyes as she spoke. "I just wanted to sort it all out without having to involve you too much and I know…"

"Jane, stop." Maura begged, shaking her head before pressing gentle kisses to the little boy's forehead. "I understand; you three are a family."

"No, you're our family," Jane corrected her with a frown, leaning forward to rest her forehead on Maura's shoulder, her arms winding around the slim waist.

"I know I am." Maura promised, "but so is he, and I have to accept that he's going to be around every now and then."

"Where is this all coming from?" Jane wondered aloud, taking the diaper bag that was hanging from her shoulder and placing it on the floor before walking to the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle.

"I'm not going to lie to you, it killed me seeing you all so happy together." Maura admitted, accepting the bottle Jane held out towards her. She placed Oliver into a lying down position in her arms, gently kissing his head as she placed the bottle in his mouth. Both of his hands moved to grasp the bottle, making Maura smile slightly. He was growing up too fast.

"But…" Jane probed, sincerely hoping that wasn't the end of Maura's sentence. The brunette picked up where Maura had left off, mixing the vegetables she had in the frying pan. It was strange how fast they'd gotten into this little routine without even realising.

"My mother made me realise I was being extremely selfish. He has to come first for you, and I needed to understand that; and I do now." Maura sighed as she pulled herself onto one of the stools by the kitchen counter. "But Jane…"

"What is it?" Jane asked, turning to face her girlfriend who was biting her nails.

"I need to know you aren't going to lie to me again." Maura spoke quietly, her head lowering slightly as a wave of embarrassment washed over her.

"I promise. Hey," Jane started, moving to place her fingers under her girlfriends chin, forcing her to look at her. "I promise I will never lie to you again."

**xxx**

**Hi there beautiful readers!**

**I want to take a quick moment to thank you all for your unwavering support.  
>I'm going away for a few days so there will be a short hiatus but we'll be back with more smutty, fluffy goodness for you very soon!<strong>

**3**


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